Three Suspects Arrested for Murder of Subway Rider in New York City

What you should know

• Authorities arrested three suspects wanted in connection with the murder of a 45-year-old subway user before the start of his commute last Friday morning.
• New York City Police on Sunday night identified the trio as Justin Herde, 24, Betty Cotto, 38, and Alfredo Trinidad, 42. The relationship between the three was unclear. It did not appear they had a prior connection to the victim.
• According to New York City Police, the victim, identified as William Alvarez of the Bronx, was traveling on a southbound D line train just before 5 a.m. Friday when the three alleged attackers boarded the subway at station Fordham Road. One of them allegedly sat next to Álvarez before an argument began.

NEW YORK — Authorities arrested three suspects wanted in connection with the murder of a 45-year-old subway rider before the start of his commute last Friday morning.

New York City Police on Sunday night identified the trio as Justin Herde, 24, Betty Cotto, 38, and Alfredo Trinidad, 42. The relationship between the three was unclear. It did not appear they had a prior connection to the victim.

According to New York City Police, the victim, identified as William Alvarez of the Bronx, was traveling on a southbound D line train just before 5 a.m. Friday when the three alleged attackers boarded the subway at station Fordham Road. One of them allegedly sat next to Álvarez before an argument began.

The disagreement soon became physical and the other two suspects joined forces to fight the victim, according to NYPD Chief of Traffic Michael Kemper. The train arrived at the next station, the 182-183 Streets stop, and the three suspects fled.

Police were called to the scene in Grand Concourse and found the victim unconscious. He was seen being carried out of the station on a stretcher and taken to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators are still trying to determine what killed him. They say he had a gunshot wound or a puncture wound to his chest. The medical examiner is working to determine Alvarez’s cause of death.

No weapon was recovered at the scene. Police do not know the whereabouts of the suspects after they fled. Authorities said video from inside the train car showing the entire incident could be a key part of their ongoing investigation.

The violence was the latest in a series of incidents on the subway. On February 12, six people were shot on the subway station platform Mt. Eden Avenue in the Bronx while teenagers exchanged gunfire. A 35-year-old man died in the shooting.

Recent data from the NYPD paints a worrying picture: 2023 saw the highest number of assaults on the subway since at least 1996. During that year, there were 570 assaults, which is a slight increase over the previous year and an average of about 1.5 incidents daily.

2024-02-26 15:37:17
#suspects #arrested #murder #man #Bronx #subway