By COLlive reporter
Only hours before an event is to take place to update the community on progress on the investigation into a recent violent stabbing, the NYPD announced that they have made an arrest in the case.
The New York Police Department and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office have announced they are moving forward with charging a man with the stabbings of at least 3 people – including a Jewish man in Crown Heights.
Community activist Chanina Sperlin told COLlive.com he received the notice about the case on Thursday afternoon from James O’Neill, the NYPD’s Chief of Department.
“The person they are charging is an African-American male who was involved in the stabbing of 2 people on Flatbush Avenue and Nostrand on Wednesday,” Sperlin said.
Police sources identified the man as 26-year-old Kenny Rochelin. He was arrested for allegedly slashing two people in separate incidents in Prospect Park on Wednesday night, police said.
In the first incident, Rochelin attacked a 30-year-old man who was jogging in the park around 11:30 p.m. The victim suffered some defensive wounds as he tried to block the blade and the attacker ran off, the NY Post reported.
A short time later, Rochelin approached a 43-year-old man walking in the park near Parkside and Ocean avenues and stabbed him in the stomach. He then took the man’s wallet and fled.
Both victims were taken to Kings County Hospital and are expected to survive.
Rochelin, who lives in a shelter on the Upper West Side, was later arrested and charged with robbery, assault and possession of a weapon, police said.
He was also charged with attempted murder and aggravated harassment as a hate crime in connection with the stabbing of 25-year-old Leiby Brikman on Empire Blvd. in Crown Heights on February 10.
“He admitted to the stabbing of Brikman,” Sperlin said, following conversations with Chief O’Neill, NYPD Brooklyn South Chief Steven Powers and Deputy Inspector Norman Grandstaff, the new Commanding Officer of the 71st Precinct.
“I hope the DA will stay strong and give this man a very strong prosecution so that this don’t happen again in Crown Heights or anywhere else in the city,” said Sperlin, who is the intergovernmental liaison for the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council.
It appears to be that the man being charged now is not the same man the police originally suspected and claimed to have identified.
COLlive was informed that tonight’s event for information and updates about the stabbings will still be taking place.
The Brikman and Katz families, relatives of both recent victims, are requesting the community show up to participate in this event and show a united community in the concern for the safety and security of our neighborhood.
The event will take place tonight, Thursday at the Jewish Children’s Museum at 7:00 pm.
In Israel almost every attempted stabber was shot dead on the spot. It’s time we start carrying firearms like in Israel.
as far as this sentence below……arent all the shelters supposed to have social workers and Social Services?? that should be investigated too…..there surely must have been signs that this is not a typicl person
Rochelin, who lives in a shelter on the Upper West Side, was later arrested and charged with robbery, assault and possession of a weapon, police said.
But police say they are not authorized to talk about a confession. Then they talk about taking a long time to establish d and a on the knife. To me the pictures don’t look the same.
after all of that ! they finally caught him! it is really interesting that he admitted to it!
They didn’t find him due to their efforts but by sheer coincidence (Hashgocho Protis).
This will be downplayed as a psychotic episode, rather than a hate crime, as yesterday’s victims were not (visibly at least) Jewish.
Can someone official respond if the rally/meeting still on for tonight?
The more people show they care, the more the police will take us serious.. the more people don’t care.. the less the police will care.. they have enough work on their hans.. it’s the wheel that squeeks oudest that will get the grees.. i.e. their attnetion! You presence at tonights meeting may save the life of another Jew in CH… It’s a matter of PIKUACH NEFESH!!!
Agree anyone that lives in ch must must come that is the only way police will do anything
“He’s also being charged with a hate crime after cops CONNECTED him to the stabbing of a Hasidic man in Brooklyn on Feb. 10, Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said Thursday.”
They just want to get over this case and thats it. They made him admit to the crime so that they wont get harassed by us any more.
suspicious , why in the world would the guy admit? But mainly why in the whole wide world..would they need him to admit?? Just check the Picture out & see if its him???? Just wondering….
Do you not see that they are trying to have a small or no show of people turn out tonight? We ALL must be there as a community and hear directly from the police what THEY have to say. Let’s stop listening to hearsay and ATTEND and hear from the police themselves. Let’s help keep our community and children SAFE!! If we don’t care who will????
1) was the stabbing of brikman anti Semitic now that he also stabbed goyim ?
2) is he the same guy that stabbed also katz ?
It’s for your safety! Everyone must show up tonight at 7:00. The bigger the crowd, the more seriously the police will work to keep us safe. and the stricter they will be with this stabber.
We need the guys picture to see if it matches the one we already have.
Otherwise we cant know if its just a cover up,by claiming that a guy who is anyways be arrested for stabbing 2 other people on Wed. & saying that he’s the one We are looking for. A PICTURE is a must.
It sounds like they are desperately trying to show they have a handle on the situation
Of course need for the meeting! We MUST show we care!!!!! I don’t believe it until I see a pic!!! Enough with false rumors… Just to make the higher people look good
I guess they wont need to “brief” the community on the investigation now
so it wasn’t antisemitic?