Video: Deadly East Village triple stabbing raises alarms over NYC safety fears
NEW YORK CITY - The suspect in a deadly triple stabbing has been charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder, as disturbing video shows the shocking East Village attack on Sunday.
The stabbing happened on Sunday around 5:45 p.m. near Avenue A and East 14th Street.
East Village stabbing
The video, which is too violent to broadcast in full, shows the suspect, identified as Alejandro Piedro, 30, of East New York, Brooklyn, launching an unprovoked attack on a 52-year-old woman.
Piedra, seen wearing a bandana, a tan shirt, and a dark cape, wields a sharp object in his hand.
The video shows Piedra attacking a female victim, stabbing her even as she is on the ground on her back. The woman kicks and attempts to fight him off, before a man in a yellow shirt jumps in to help her fight off the attacker.
The man is then seen being stabbed six times around his neck and shoulder by Piedra.
Multiple bystanders then ran in to attempt to help, including a shirtless man wielding a billboard.
The two victims stumble away, before the man in the yellow shirt then collapses.
Police said that a 38-year-old man was killed after being stabbed in the neck. Witnesses told FOX 5 NY that the deceased was the man in the yellow shirt who went to save the woman he was with.
The 52-year-old woman in the video is in critical condition and a 31-year-old man was hospitalized after being stabbed in the back.
Piedra, whose address is linked to an organization called Services for the Underserved, has been a resident there for years, according to the organization.
Neighbors and residents in the East Village say they are deeply troubled by the violent incident, but not surprised.
"The situation is dire," said Travis, a father of two who lives nearby. "It's really, really rough. The unhorsed and unhinged people around are really… it's scary. And with my kids, it's a lot."
Tompkins Square Park drug use out of control, neighbors say
Residents living near Tompkins Square Park in the East Village say it has become overrun with illicit drug use, prostitution, and more.
FOX 5 NY has previously reported on safety concerns in the area of East 14th Street, speaking to residents about unsafe conditions, including the constant presence of homeless and mentally ill individuals.
Residents living nearby told FOX 5 NY that the city must make a decision on whether they want to clean up the area.