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Brooklyn man fatally stabbed at NYCHA development in Brownsville, police say
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Nov 20, 2025
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By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Nov 20, 2025
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A man was fatally stabbed Wednesday at a Brooklyn public housing building that houses a community center, according to NYPD officials.
Officers found 48-year-old Kevin Coleman with multiple stab wounds at NYCHA’s Langston Hughes Apartments in Brownsville around 5:30 p.m., officials said. The residential building contains a gathering space for seniors and other neighbors, according to the housing authority.
First responders took Coleman to Brookdale Hospital in critical condition and he was later pronounced dead. Police said they are investigating why he was attacked and do not yet have a description of his assailant, who fled in an unknown direction.
Coleman lived in East New York, about a mile from where he was killed, officials said.
NYPD data shows homicides are down 26% at public housing sites so far this year, outpacing the citywide decline of 21%. That represents significant progress for NYCHA’s portfolio, which Gothamist previously reported was largely left behind last year as the rest of the city grew safer.
Homicides have dropped more than 80% in Police Service Area 2, the housing police bureau covering NYCHA properties in Brownsville and other neighborhoods on the northern side of Brooklyn, according to the data. There was only one other homicide in the PSA as of Nov. 16, down from six by the same point last year.
This is a developing story based on preliminary information from police and may be updated.
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brooklyn
brownsville
new york city
public safety
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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