FILE – Police at a crime scene.
Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
The deadly spate of youth violence across NYC continued in the Bronx on Wednesday, as a 17-year-old was stabbed to death outside an apartment building over an apparent social media beef, police sources reported.
Officers from the 43rd Precinct received a 911 call of a person stabbed outside of 1337 Beach Ave. in Parkchester at around 4:30 p.m. on April 29.
When they arrived, the cops found 17-year-old Jonathan Melo, of Taylor Avenue in Soundview, with a stab wound to the back. EMS rushed him to Jacobi Hospital in critical condition, where he later succumbed to his wounds.
Sources with knowledge of the case report that Melo and the suspect had been antagonizing each other over social media before the attack. The pair apparently met up outside of the building and engaged in a verbal dispute.
The words turned violent, sources said, after the suspect went home with friends, retrieved a knife and returned to attack Melo. The rest of the group scattered when he launched the deadly attack, authorities said.
Police did not immediately have a description of the attacker. No arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information regarding the deadly stabbing can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
Wednesday’s killing was the latest in a string of high-profile acts of violence involving teens across the city this week.
On April 27, a 15-year-old boy was shot on a Manhattan-bound A train due to an ongoing beef. A 16-year-old boy was taken into custody on Wednesday afternoon in connection with the case.
Previously, on April 16, 15-year-old Jaden Pierre was shot dead in a Queens park during a water gun fight.