New York City’s volunteer crime-fighting squad the Guardian Angels has been patrolling Morningside Park in the wake of the fatal stabbing of Barnard College student Tessa Majors earlier this month
New York City’s volunteer crime-fighting squad the Guardian Angels has been patrolling Morningside Park in the wake of the fatal stabbing of Barnard College student Tessa Majors earlier this month.
The death of Majors, an 18-year-old freshman, who was mugged and stabbed in Morningside Park on the night of December 11, has shaken the city and sparked criticism over the rise of crime in parks in the city.
After the harrowing attack, the Guardian Angels have taken it upon themselves to patrol the 30-acre park.
On Saturday two groups of Angels, sporting their trademark red jackets and berets, were seen at Morningside Park and near the Columbia University campus carrying wanted posters of a 14-year-old suspect in Majors’ death.
‘There has been lethargic, impotent police response and the person responsible for that is the mayor,’ Curtis Sliwa, the Guardian Angels founder, said to the New York Post.
On Saturday two groups of Angels, sporting their trademark red jackets and berets, were seen at Morningside Park and near the Columbia University campus carrying wanted posters of a 14-year-old suspect in Majors’ death. A group pictured at the park on December 15
Curtis Sliwa, the Guardian Angels founder, says that neighbors have called on the group to intervene, reporting young people harassing, assault and robbing residents in the area
The Guardian Angels was founded in 1979 in New York City in response to a spike of crime. The group originally trained members to make citizen’s arrests for violent crime
Sliwa says that neighbors have called on the group to intervene, reporting young people harassing, assault and robbing residents in the area.
‘It seems the police’s attitude has been, “They’re juveniles, what do you want us to do?” That to me just fuels other teenagers to look at that and realize, “We can go on a robbery spree’. That really has to be dealt with.’
Sliwa addressed the crime fighters on Saturday saying: ‘If you’re a juvenile, you know this is the place to go. The cops don’t want to go up and down these stairs here.’
The Guardian Angels was founded in 1979 in New York City in response to a spike of crime. The group originally trained members to make citizen’s arrests for violent crime.
Morningside Park became the most dangerous park in the city for muggings this year after 11 robberies were recorded in the first nine months in 2019.
That’s compared to nine muggings in Claremont Park in The Bronx and 10 in Prospect Park in Brooklyn.
The NYPD also reports a 82 percent spike in reports of violent crime and sex crimes in Morningside Park and the surrounding area in the past year ending December 8.
The New York Police Department released photo of the third teenage suspect (pictured) in Majors’ case
Police believe the 14-year-old boy (pictured) is the one who stabbed Majors in December 11 while mugging her
There were no arrests for marijuana sale or possession at the park or its perimeter this year, according to NYPD statistics through September.
Sergeants Benevolent Association President Ed Mullins claimed Majors was in the park to buy marijuana, an allegation her family refuted.
On Facebook the Guardian Angels raised concern about the rise of crime in New York City, while bashing Mayor Bill de Blasio for failing to keep the city safe.
‘Back in the mid- 80’s the NYPD said they couldn’t do much about those problems because they were committed by teenagers. As a result of changes made in the city along with our efforts suddenly teenagers were getting arrested when they committed those crimes. 35 years later the same problem is happening all over the city,’ The Alliance of Guardian Angels posted on December 16.
On Facebook the Guardian Angels raised concern about the rise of crime in New York City, while bashing Mayor Bill de Blasio for failing to keep the city safe
‘We saw what happened in Morningside Park. A group of 3 teenagers aged 13 – 14 have been on a crime spree. Nothing was done to stop them. Robberies, Assaults and now a murder,’ the post added.
The Guardian Angels said they’d have to triple their patrol efforts in the coming year.
‘Last nite I told the dozens of Guardian Angels that we would have to triple our efforts because on Jan. 1 the rules for the criminals will now favor them. Home Invasions, robberies and domestic abuse arrests will result in no bail,’ the post said.
‘They will be cut loose to go back into the streets…to encourage those arrested to show up for their court dates Mayor de Blasio is offering them NY Met and concert tickets. That is CRAZY.’
So far a 13-year-old and 14-year-old have been arrested in her death. On Friday police released photos of a third teen, an unnamed 14-year-old boy, wanted for the stabbing.