Police Release Photos and Video in Fatal Stabbing of Migrant Teen Near City Hall Park
Police have released images and video footage of three individuals suspected of fatally stabbing a migrant teen last week near City Hall Park. Authorities believe the incident may have been gang-related.
The victim, identified as 18-year-old Yeremi Colino, was stabbed on December 5 outside 17 John Street in lower Manhattan following a brief but intense brawl. NYPD Assistant Chief Jason Savino stated that the altercation, captured on surveillance footage, appeared to stem from a dispute between two gangs.
According to a witness, the one-minute clash began when three individuals flashed gang signs, provoking Colino’s group to confront them. Police say the fight involved members of the Los Diablos de la 42 (Devils of 42nd Street) gang and an Afro-Caribbean group, with both sides reportedly carrying weapons.
During the confrontation, Colino allegedly swung an unknown object at one of the attackers before being fatally stabbed in the chest. An employee at a nearby Walgreens pulled the wounded Colino to safety inside the store and called 911. He was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he later died.
Another individual with Colino, 18-year-old Alan Magalles Bello, sustained a stab wound to his left arm and received five stitches at Bellevue Hospital. Bello recounted the attack, telling ABC7: “A group of people show up, like a gang, and they pull out a knife towards me and my friend.”
Assistant Commissioner Carlos Nieves explained that the incident escalated after Colino’s group followed their attackers before the fatal encounter unfolded off-camera. When the assailants returned into frame, chaos erupted as bystanders scattered.
In the aftermath of the stabbing, Los Diablos reportedly vowed retaliation, calling for violence against members of the Afro-Caribbean group involved in the altercation. Savino expressed concern over the potential for escalating tensions, noting that Los Diablos typically have a feud with the Latin Kings but now may be entering a “new, undiscovered beef.”
Police recovered several items at the scene, including a knife with a brown handle, two wooden sticks, and a pair of pliers.
The case has sparked criticism on social media, with some questioning why the NYPD’s efforts to find Colino’s killers don’t match the resources dedicated to high-profile cases like the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The investigation remains ongoing, and police urge anyone with information to come forward.
