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Cops Fail to Cut Back on Williamsburg Stabbings
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jul 12, 2008
Modified Jul 13, 2008
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Jul 12, 2008
Modified Jul 13, 2008
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Early this morning three more stabbings occurred in the South Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Since April there have been a number of similar stabbings in the area; police have reportedly said that some of the incidents may be part of a gang initiation. Sometimes the attackers have been on bikes, and sometimes they have been wielding machetes; one common thread is that the victims do not know the assailants, who have not stolen anything when they attack.
To recap, sometime in April there was a man stabbing young women in the area, the motive was apparently robbery and the suspect was eventually caught. Around this same time police presence increased in the neighborhood, and cops on the beat told us of a machete-wielding gang.
In June, the reports of seemingly-random stabbings in South Williamsburg became more frequent and usually featured the same type of scenario, with the attacker not taking anything and slashing without provocation. The following incidents all fit into the description the police gave us about the gang initiation stabbings.
June 7th, 8:30 a.m.
, a man was stabbed on Fillmore Place and Driggs on his way home from the gym. His attacker was on a bike, and didn't take anything from his victim.
June 14th, 6:30 p.m., a male was stabbed at Marcy and Broadway, near the JMZ stop.
July 2nd, 7:32 p.m., a male was stabbed on South 9th Street and Wythe. He had a "serious stab wound to the back" and "did not know who stabbed him or why."
July 12th, 1:57 a.m., a double stabbing occurred on South 2nd Street and Berry. "2 victims stabbed. 2 perps fled last seen on S. 3rd Street. The perps were armed with a machete."
July 12th, 2:15 a.m., another stabbing occurred at 240 South 3rd Street.
The 90th Precinct could not discuss the more recent cases when contacted today, but we've put in a request to the NYPD's press office for more information. Could this be happening now because of all the condos coming to completion in the area, as a 'welcome to the neighborhood' for all the gentrifiers signing their Karl Fischer contracts?
Tagged
attack
brooklyn
gang
gang initiation
machete
south williamsburg
stabber
stabbings
violence
williamsburg
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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