A man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing two people to death and critically injuring a third in Manhattan on Monday, November 18, 2024.
Ramon Rivera, 51, has been charged with first-degree murder following the violent attacks, which occurred within a span of just a few hours.
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Police say Rivera fatally stabbed a 36-year-old Hispanic man and a 68-year-old Asian man, and seriously wounded a 36-year-old Black woman. Authorities have not released the identities of the victims.
The stabbing spree took place across different locations in the city, with Rivera using a kitchen knife in the attacks.
The first incident occurred at 8:22 a.m. on West 19th Street, when Rivera allegedly stabbed the first victim in the abdomen outside his workplace.
The man was rushed to Bellevue Hospital but was pronounced dead at 8:50 a.m. Less than two hours later, at 10:27 a.m., Rivera attacked the second victim, an Asian man fishing along the East River at East 30th Street. The victim was repeatedly stabbed and also died at Bellevue Hospital.
The third attack occurred at 10:55 a.m. near the United Nations building. The woman was stabbed multiple times and remains in critical condition at Cornell Medical Center.
A cab driver who witnessed the attack initially thought it was a robbery, but later realized it was a stabbing and followed the suspect. Rivera was eventually captured near 46th Street, covered in blood.
Police recovered two bloody kitchen knives at the scene. Rivera was arrested and taken into custody. Authorities said he appeared to be homeless, and he had a lengthy criminal history.
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Rivera has been arrested eight times in the past, including a recent arrest for grand larceny in October 2024. He was released from custody just hours before the stabbing spree began.
In addition to his recent charges, Rivera has faced several felony charges, including theft, burglary, and assault in New York, New Jersey, Ohio, and Florida.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed concern over Rivera’s mental health and questioned why he was on the streets.
“There are some real questions that we need to look at on why he was on the street,” Adams said. “He has some severe mental health issues that should have been examined.”