A late-afternoon walk home turned terrifying for a 16-year-old boy on Monday when he was slashed in the neck while heading back with his girlfriend in Westchester Square, according to his family. The teen, identified by relatives as Hugo Reyes, was attacked shortly after 2:30 p.m. near 2560 East Tremont Avenue. He was briefly hospitalized, received stitches, and is now recovering at home. His mother said she believes his jacket likely stopped the blade from causing far more serious damage.
Police are searching for three suspects in the attack, and as of Tuesday night no arrests had been announced, according to News 12 The Bronx. Surveillance video obtained by the station appears to show one suspect sprinting toward Reyes and swinging a knife toward his neck before chasing the teen and his girlfriend down the block.
“They want to take my son away from me for no reason,” his mother said as she watched the footage. She urged neighbors to “please be aware of your surroundings,” the family told News 12 The Bronx.
Video Shows Knife Swing And Scramble To Flee
Reporters who viewed the surveillance video say it shows a suspect charging at the couple and swinging a knife at Reyes’s neck. The teen can then be seen bolting down the block to get away. Reyes later credited his jacket with blunting the blow. His family says Hugo, who hopes to become a mechanic, was treated at a hospital and then sent home to recover after receiving stitches.
A Troubling Pattern On East Tremont
The stabbing is the latest in a string of violent incidents along the East Tremont and Westchester Square corridor, where a recent machete slashing near station and other assaults have been reported in recent months. Community outlets and local leaders have pointed to clusters of incidents around the borough as officials reorganize NYPD operations, including the announced division of Bronx patrol commands this year, according to Norwood News.
How To Help
Anyone with information about the Westchester Square attack is urged to contact local authorities or NYPD Crime Stoppers. Tips can be submitted anonymously through NYPD Crime Stoppers or by calling 1-800-577-TIPS. Police say any video, dash-cam footage, or cellphone clips from around East Tremont Avenue could help detectives identify the suspects…