A person was arrested on homicide fees late Friday, believed to be accountable for two mindless stabbings within the Bronx, certainly one of which left a 14-year-old boy useless.
Police mentioned investigators have been in a position to hyperlink the identical man from a lethal stabbing earlier that morning to a separate “unprovoked” stabbing on Jan. 5, additionally within the Bronx.
Round 9:30 a.m. Friday morning, police mentioned the 14-year-old Caleb Rijos was on a sidewalk close to E 138th Road and Lincoln Avenue when the unknown assailant approached and delivered a pair of lethal blows.
“Video reveals that the sufferer was standing alone on the sidewalk by himself when he’s approached by this perpetrator who instantly stabs him two instances within the chest and flees the scene,” Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny mentioned at an in a single day press convention.
Rijos was taken to Lincoln Hospital however didn’t survive two stab wounds to his coronary heart and lung, in line with police.
Watch reside as @NYPDPC & @NYPDDetectives present an replace on an energetic investigation within the Bronx. https://t.co/1AXHxkm9DX
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) January 11, 2025
The NYPD obtained surveillance photographs from the sidewalk slaying and circulated them throughout the division, Kenny defined. A transit bureau cop acknowledged the alleged attacker from an earlier stabbing at E 138th Road and Third Avenue and notified detectives.
On Jan. 5, Kenny mentioned a 38-year-old man was descending the steps right into a subway station when he was attacked from behind. The suspect allegedly stabbed the person within the left arm. Police mentioned he was taken to an space hospital the place he obtained a number of stitches.
“Presently, we consider the 2 incidents are related and have been dedicated by the identical perpetrator,” Kenny revealed. “We now have an individual of curiosity in custody presently and are working intently with the Bronx District Legal professional’s workplace to find out potential fees.”
A second press convention was held Saturday afternoon the place NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch recognized the alleged killer as 29-year-old Waldo Mejia. She labeled the Bronx man as a profession prison with a documented “historical past of psychological well being interactions with the NYPD.”
As soon as recognized, Tisch mentioned police waited for Mejia to return residence, which he did round midnight. He was picked up by officers with out incident, sporting the identical sneakers and pants seen on surveillance video. She alleged he was additionally in possession of a bloody knife.
“As we speak, a 14-year-old boy is useless, a household is devastated, a metropolis is in mourning, and the methods we have now in place to cope with repeat offenders and people with extreme psychological well being points proceed to fail us,” Tisch mentioned.
Legal professional data for Mejia was not instantly recognized.
