34-year-old man stabbed in face during brutal fight over sitting on bench near parade revelers in Brooklyn
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: In a shocking incident, a 34-year-old man was gruesomely attacked over a parkway bench. Police said that the incident took place during Labor Day, a few blocks away from revelers marching in the West Indian Day parade in Brooklyn. The victim has been identified as a Pennsylvania man, who had an argument with Jason Morris, 40, over sitting on a bench. It soon turned into a scuffle and the victim was knifed in the face and back in broad daylight. Authorities claimed that the fight between the two broke out around 2.45 pm at Eastern Parkway and Nostrand Avenue in Crown Heights.
The victim was rushed to the Kings County Hospital Center and is said to be in stable condition, as per police. They added the accused, Morris, was arrested and charged with assault. He lives in the Bronx, and his arraignment is awaited in Brooklyn Criminal Court. The parade and J’Ouvert festival, which is followed by the march has witnessed many violent incidents in past years as well.
Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement that "there were no shootings tied to the celebration this year." He appreciated the successful collaboration among several city agencies for keeping a tab on violence. “Historically, we get the parade and then law enforcement later,” said Adams, adding, “We did something new this year — we did law enforcement first.” It is unknown whether the two involved attended the parade or if the fight had any link to the celebration.
This comes on the heels of another stabbing that occurred in Queens. A 37-year-old man was stabbed multiple times. As per a police report, the victim was stabbed in the torso at 81st Street and Liberty Avenue in Ozone Park around midnight. A passerby called on a nearby EMS unit, and the victim was immediately taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in serious condition. Authorities said that the victim was in no condition to be questioned currently. The motive of the attack was yet to be established by the police.