Deadly Times Square stabbing started as part of a social media trend, police sources say
A 17-year-old has been arrested in the deadly stabbing of a man in Times Square Monday night, police said Thursday.
Police sources say the suspect told police it all started as part of a social media trend.
What happened Monday night
Just before 11:30 p.m. Monday, Leonidas Baez, 39, was stabbed in the face, chest and back outside the Burger & Lobster restaurant on 43rd Street between Broadway and Sixth Avenue. Baez, whose last address was a shelter in New York City, was asleep prior to the confrontation.
Police had been searching for three men who ran from the scene, heading east. They didn't offer much by way of description of the suspects, saying just that one was wearing all black.
Thursday morning, the NYPD said it had arrested a 17-year-old male. His name hasn't been released due to his age. He's facing murder and criminal possession of a weapon charges.
Officers stopped the suspect after he allegedly jumped a turnstile at the Stillwell Avenue subway station, police sources told CBS News New York. Officers found a scalpel on him, and they quickly determined he was wanted for questioning the Times Square incident.
Social media motivation, police sources say
The suspect told police he and his two accomplices picked Baez at random as part of a social media trend which encourages "messing with crackheads."
Police are still searching for the other two suspects. It's not yet clear if video of the incident was captured for social media purposes.
It's the second murder in the Midtown South precinct so far this year, according to NYPD's CompStat.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
