A man was arrested on murder charges late Friday, believed to be responsible for two senseless stabbings in the Bronx, one of which left a 14-year-old boy dead.
Police said investigators have been able to link the same man from a deadly stabbing earlier that morning to a separate “unprovoked” stabbing on Jan. 5, also in the Bronx.
Around 9:30 a.m. Friday morning, police said the 14-year-old Caleb Rijos was on a sidewalk near E 138th Street and Lincoln Avenue when the unknown assailant approached and delivered a pair of deadly blows.
“Video shows that the victim was standing alone on the sidewalk by himself when he is approached by this perpetrator who immediately stabs him two times in the chest and flees the scene,” Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at an overnight press conference.
Rijos was taken to Lincoln Hospital but did not survive his injuries.
Watch live as @NYPDPC & @NYPDDetectives provide an update on an active investigation in the Bronx. https://t.co/1AXHxkm9DX
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The NYPD obtained surveillance images from the sidewalk slaying and circulated them across the department, Kenny explained. A transit bureau cop recognized the alleged attacker from an earlier stabbing at E 138th Street and Third Avenue and notified detectives.
On Jan. 5, Kenny said a 38-year-old man was descending the stairs into a subway station when he was attacked from behind. The suspect allegedly stabbed the man in the left arm. Police said he was taken to an area hospital where he received several stitches.
“At this time, we believe the two incidents are connected and were committed by the same perpetrator,” Kenny revealed. “We have a person of interest in custody at this time and are working closely with the Bronx District Attorney’s office to determine possible charges.”
A second press conference was held Saturday afternoon where NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch identified the alleged killer as 29-year-old Waldo Mejia. She labeled the Bronx man as a career criminal with a documented “history of mental health interactions with the NYPD.”
“Today, a 14-year-old boy is dead, a family is devastated, a city is in mourning, and the systems we have in place to deal with repeat offenders and individuals with severe mental health issues continue to fail us,” Tisch said.
