Travers Park (File Photo)
May 16, 2016 By Michael Florio
An uptick in gang violence will be discussed at a town hall meeting next week.
The town hall will take place May 26 at 6 p.m., at the Jewish Center of Jackson Heights (37-06 77th St.). The meeting comes after an 18-year-old was assaulted and stabbed while playing basketball last week at Travers Park (34th Avenue between 77th and 78th Streets).
The teen was playing basketball at 8 p.m. on May 9, when seven to 10 men in all black surrounded him and asked if he was a member of a local gang, A.B.K. (Always Banging Kings), according to the NYPD.
The victim said “no” and was assaulted by the men. He was stabbed in the back, which punctured his lung, according to police. He was taken to Elmhurst General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The attack is being investigated as gang-related. No arrests have been made at this time and the investigation is ongoing.
“We are deeply concerned by reports of a teenager who fell victim to a gang related crime in Jackson Heights earlier this week,” Council Member Daniel Dromm and State Sen. Jose Peralta said in a joint statement. “We urge anyone with information on the suspects’ whereabouts to call the police immediately.”
“The city recently added 1,300 additional police officers to the force this year in order to further reduce crime in our neighborhoods,” they continued. “We will continue to do all that we can to put an end to gang related violence. We are working closely with the NYPD to bring this culprit to justice.”
There have been a number of possible gang related incidents in Jackson Heights in the past couple of months.
A 16-year-old was walking his dog at the intersection of Northern Boulevard and 80th Street on March 12, when two men stopped him and asked if he was “down with A.B.K.” before stabbing him in the abdomen and his dog in the back.
Just hours later, a 23-year-old male was stabbed in the back by an unknown male with a sharp object, in front of 80-03 Northern Blvd., according to police. The victim was approached from behind. The suspects also referenced A.B.K. in this incident, police said.
Featured Events
13 Comments
It’s funny that there are still gangs in Jackson heights. Such a beautiful neighborhood with property value on the rise. We should start sending gang members from nice neighborhoods to rikers for a week instead of community service and see if they keep acting up.
Angela, To quote you directly: “.. I bet it reads like a list of …” So clearly, you are also assuming certain things. The end result is possible racial bias, since you have not directly reviewed the arrest data. And to make up a term like “Afmerican” and use it in your post gives one the sense that you are turning this incident into a racial thing. And because I don’t agree with Jose’s post, I should apologize to him? I don’t get it because I did not attack him, I merely hold a different opinion. That is allowed in a democracy, is it not?
Nacho the village idiot
Your opinion is still stupid…stupid.
-Nacho You’re in denial. Just go to the precinct on Northern Blvd and use the freedom of information act and request a list of people arrested by their precinct in the past 15 years. I’ll bet you it reads like a phone book out of Latin Afmerican country. We know who is committing the crime in Jackson Heights. When the criminals that committed this crime are caught we will know or at least have an idea and maybe you’ll post an apology to Jose.
@Nacho Lets see the addresses of these perps when they are arrested. You know their addresses won’t be in Donnelly Gardens, Elm Court, Chateau or the Towers. I have lived in Jackson Heights long enough (52 years) to know where the street thugs come from. As a Latino I also know what harm turning a blind eye to the facts can do..As a property owner and long time property manager in the area. I also know what dead beats the voucher program participants are. Of all the properties I managed through my company, the only people who we needed to bring eviction proceedings against or caught engaging in criminal activities were the people in these programs, which is why I withdrew the company from participating in the program years ago. If you truly want to make Jackson Heights a better community say to no to low income housing. Facts are facts. Thanks for playing the Latino card instead of addressing the facts.
Jose, you are assuming that the perpetrators had Section 8 Vouchers. How do you know this? Are your comments based on sweeping racial stereotypes? As someone with a Spanish language name, I would think you’d keep a distance from simplistic stereotypes. As a Latino, I am fairly sure, that you know the harm that racial stereotypes can generate.
@Nacho Lets see the addresses of these perps when they are arrested. You know their addresses won’t be in Donnelly Gardens, Elm Court, Chateau or the Towers. I have lived in Jackson Heights long enough (52 years) to know where the street thugs come from. As a Latino I also know what harm turning a blind eye to the facts can do..As a property owner and long time property manager in the area. I also know what dead beats the voucher program participants are. Of all the properties I managed through my company, the only people who we needed to bring eviction proceedings against or caught engaging in criminal activities were the people in these programs, which is why I withdrew the company from participating in the program years ago. If you truly want to make Jackson Heights a better community say to no to low income housing. Facts are facts. Thanks for playing the Latino card instead of addressing the facts.
Shut up Nacho. Tonto.
I would see these punks crying for Mommy in Central Booking, They would be stripped of their beads and colors.
These are punks, I remember them crying for Mommy when they were in Central Booking. They weren’t tough after that experience.
My cousin and his friends got stabbed about 6 years ago in the same park around 11 pm. Cops did nothing.
When these punks are caught their families section 8 benefits should be revoked for making an unsafe environment and bringing down the quality of life of hard working people in the community. Civil Right violations should be pursued as well.