A suspect was detained for the deadly stabbing of a migrant at a Randall’s Island shelter in New York City. The Saturday event prompted a 911 call at 7:27 p.m. After being stabbed in the torso, 24-year-old Dafren Canizalez died at a Harlem hospital. At 5 a.m. Sunday, shelter resident Moises Coronado, 27, was charged with murder.
NYPD Responds to Shelter Attack as Violence Persists in City’s Migrant Shelters
The NYPD responded to the attack after receiving an emergency call. Due to the asylum-seeker problem, migrants have died in municipal shelters before. The New York Immigration Coalition’s executive director, Murad Awawdeh, spoke out against the violence in the city, especially for those in its care.
City migrant shelters get tens of thousands of newcomers each month. Suicides at a Queens shelter and apparent overdoses outside a Brooklyn shelter have claimed migrant lives in detention. An 11-year-old youngster was found lifeless in an Upper West Side shelter hotel last month.
In response to the Randall’s Island event, City Hall spokesperson Kayla Mamelak said the tragedy is being investigated. One alleged suspect is in custody, and security is being increased to protect everyone on-site. Mamelak stressed that most migrants want the American Dream and that violent migrants will be prosecuted.
READ ALSO: Subway service restored after Upper West Side crash
Awawdeh Urges Safety Upgrades for Migrant Shelters Amidst Concerns
Murad Awawdeh demanded shelter safety improvements and reevaluation. He said immigrant populations often make neighborhoods safer, notwithstanding sporadic reports. Awawdeh called for migrant shelter safety systems.
In August, Randall’s Island became the city’s largest migrant relief facility, housing up to 3,000 newcomers. Before its unexpected termination, the large tent facility housed adult migrants.
The arrest of a Randall’s Island stabbing suspect raises concerns about migrants’ safety in New York City shelters. The incident highlights the city’s struggles to manage the rising number of refugees and protect them.
READ ALSO: Suspect arrested after migrant dies from stabbing at Randall’s Island shelter: NYPD