Official announcements from NYC government or related departments

51-Year-Old Ramon Rivera's Unprovoked Manhattan Stabbing Spree Kills Two; Mayor Cites System Failure

Nov 18, 2024, 07:15 PM

A 51-year-old homeless man, Ramon Rivera, went on a stabbing spree across Manhattan on Monday morning, killing two men and critically injuring a woman before being apprehended by police. The unprovoked attacks occurred without the suspect uttering a word to his victims and spanned over more than 20 blocks in Chelsea, Kips Bay, and Midtown East. The fatalities include a 30-year-old man in Chelsea and a 67-year-old man in Kips Bay. The female victim was stabbed near East 42nd Street, close to the United Nations, and remains in critical condition. Rivera, who resides at the Bellevue Men's Shelter, was arrested at East 46th Street and First Avenue with the assistance of a cab driver who followed him. He has eight prior arrests, including seven felonies in New York and a criminal history in Florida. Authorities, including Mayor Eric Adams, highlighted the attacks as a clear example of failures in the mental health and criminal justice systems, underscoring the need for systemic reforms.