The new York city police are questioning a 13-year-old suspect in the robbery and brutal murder of Tessa Majors. He made a confession statement. His name was not disclosed because he is a minor.
A source in the NYPD said: «we Have 13-year-old prisoner, he was involved in the crime. The charges will include murder in the second degree, robbery in the first degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree». The NYPD is still searching for two other men who may be connected with the girl’s death.
Tessa Majors (Instagram)
Tessa Majors recently was in the city. In August of this year, she came from Charlottesville (Virginia) to begin training during her first year of College at Barnard. Majors were going home to Virginia this weekend for the holidays after the first semester. Tessa’s family says she was a talented musician and promising student. At the time of the murder she was 18 years old.
The Murder Of Tessa Majors
On Wednesday at half past five in the evening Tessa Majors were brutally attacked. The girl descended the stairs, heading to Morningside Park at West 116th street (Upper West side). In that moment, when she walked down the stairs, she was approached by two men.
The area of the incident (Google Maps)
They began to demand she give the money and the phone. Perhaps the girl had resisted them. «During the struggle one of the attackers pulled out a knife and repeatedly struck her,» — said on Thursday the chief of detective police Department of new York Rodney Harrison. Numerous knife attacks occurred in the stomach, in the face, in the axilla and in the neck. After that, the attackers ran away.
A seriously injured Tessa was able to reach the guard post at Columbia University, located at the top of the stairs. According to one version, the guard at that time was doing duty bypass, and the box was empty. When he returned, he found the girl unconscious near the stairs and summoned help by calling 911. Tessa was immediately admitted to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. The parents and the younger brother of the murdered girl came from Virginia to new York to pick up the body.
The second 911 call came from unknown caller who said that at the scene saw someone in a green jacket. About the time of receipt of calls no information.
On Wednesday morning, the President of Barnard College sian Leah Beilock released a public letter to students in which it was written: «With broken hearts we share the tragic news of the death of one of our students. In the evening Tessa Majors, first-year student at Barnard, was fatally shot during an armed robbery that occurred off campus in Morningside Park».
The area of the incident (Google Maps)
On Thursday on a press-conferences the chief of NYPD detective Rodney Harrison has denied the information that the guard was not on duty. According to him, he was at the scene and immediately called for help. Harrison also said: «We are still in the preliminary stages of the investigation, we arrested two people, whom we interrogated in the 26th precinct. We will need the help of the public to investigate the matter.» However, he noted that the police need to question another participant of the events.
Shortly after the attack, police arrested a 16-year-old boy. The police told him about suspicion in Commission of a robbery. He was taken into custody in a residential building nearby, but on Thursday he was released without charges. It was reported that at the time of arrest he was wearing a green jacket. According to testimony that was wearing one who attacked Tessa. In addition, his apartment was a trail of blood led from the crime scene.
The staff of service of rescue reported that having arrived to a call, found next to the unconscious girl on the discharged cell phone, which belonged to Tessa and butterfly knife. Belonged to this weapon or the victim was the crime weapon thrown by the attackers is unknown.
On Thursday, mayor bill de Blasio was criticized for his position regarding this crime after he published a post about the death of Tessa.
The close-knit community at Barnard College is in shock right now.
We’ve lost a young woman full of potential in a senseless act of violence.
I want every student and every member of faculty to know your city will be with you in the days ahead. https://t.co/3c783OOrDL
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) December 12, 2019
He expressed words of support, but many Twitter users blamed him for what happened. They said that this murder is proof that his policies returns the city to the history of violent crimes.
«It’s your fault, Mr. «Big safe city»
«Mayor: it is a crime in new York of the late 1970s / 1980-ies. Many predators prey on lonely victims without fear of being caught. You go back. Quickly.»
Others have accused him that he released prisoners from Rikers island. Some were asked to let the police do their job. Earlier, the mayor has been criticized for plans to release prisoners prior to the entry into force of the reform of collateral in the following year.
