Winston Ortiz: Bronx teen stabbed thrice, doused in gasoline and burnt alive in broad daylight after argument
THE BRONX, NEW YORK: A teenager lost his life after he was set ablaze during an argument with another man inside a Bronx apartment block. 18-year-old Winston Ortiz was left fighting for his life after being stabbed three times, doused with gasoline, and set on fire around 3 pm on Wednesday, August 12, the New York Post reported.
The suspect reportedly entered the building just ten minutes before Ortiz did and carried out the brazen attack in broad daylight. According to the report, neighbors rushed to rescue Ortiz and doused the flames using buckets of water before paramedics arrived at the scene. Ortiz's aunt shared a heartbreaking message on her Facebook on August 12 night, announcing the tragic death of her nephew.
"Today we found out our oldest nephew was brutally murdered in NY," she wrote. "He fought hard for his life until he could no longer fight and passed away this evening. I am begging all of my friends to share our GoFundMe as no parent should outlive their child let alone worry about how to pay for funeral arrangements. My heart is so broken into pieces and beyond consoling."
Speaking to the New York Post, one woman who witnessed Ortiz in flames and poured water over him said the incident had shaken her up.
"I stepped outside. I saw flames," said the 34-year-old woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "I thought the apartment was on fire. And when I go over there, I saw a guy in flames all over his body. I got very scared because I have my girls here. It's really concerning."
The recent spate of violence in the neighborhood had left her feeling unsafe, the woman said. "Unfortunately in the neighborhood we feel like we're not safe," she explained. "There was a shooting yesterday around the corner. We may need to have some police around the area." That said, authorities are yet to make arrests in Ortiz's death, which comes amid a series of shootings that have ravaged New York City of late.
Among a number of reported fatalities, 23-year-old Madgey Saleh became the victim of a drive-by shooting on 40th Avenue near the Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City on Sunday, August 9. He was shot in the abdomen and later died at Cornell Hospital. Authorities said Saleh was gunned down outside a deli by an unknown suspect who fired a barrage of shots from a moving car.
Just hours later, 25-year-old Johnathan Distant was shot and killed on 183 street in Brookville, Queens. Police said Distant was shot in the lower back and later pronounced dead at Jamaica Hospital. More than 50 people were injured in at least 38 shootings over the past week, according to the New York Post. By comparison, there were 16 shootings reported during the same period last year.
There have been several reports of escalating gun violence in the Big Apple, with the number of reported shootings this year already exceeding the total count recorded in all of last year, per the New York Post.