A man has been taken into custody following a stabbing incident in New York City that resulted in the deaths of two individuals. Ramon Rivera, 51, is facing first-degree murder charges after allegedly fatally attacking two men on the streets of Manhattan on Monday, November 18. In addition to the fatalities, Rivera is accused of seriously injuring a 36-year-old woman, who is currently in critical condition.

Before this violent episode, Rivera had a history of arrests, totaling eight, with his most recent one occurring on October 17. According to the NYPD, Rivera allegedly targeted a 36-year-old Hispanic man and a 68-year-old Asian man during the spree, while the identity of the injured woman has not been disclosed. Witnesses reported that Rivera was dressed in a gray shirt and a ski hat, using a kitchen knife during the attacks. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny stated that the motive behind the stabbings remains unclear, noting that there was no interaction or theft involved—just a brutal assault on the victims.

The first incident involved a man who was stabbed in the stomach outside his workplace at a construction site on West 19th Street at 8:22 a.m. Following the attack, Rivera reportedly fled south on Ninth Avenue. According to Kenny, “The victim was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was declared dead at 8:50 a.m.”

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The second attack took place at 10:27 a.m. at 500 East 30th Street by the East River. The second victim, an Asian man, was fishing when he was stabbed multiple times. After police responded to a 911 call, he was rushed to Bellevue Hospital but unfortunately did not survive. Shortly after, at 10:55 a.m., near the UN building at 42nd Street and First Avenue, a third victim was assaulted.

This woman was also stabbed multiple times and was taken to Cornell Medical Center, where she is currently in critical condition. A cab driver witnessed the third attack and initially thought it was a robbery. “He didn’t realize she had been stabbed,” Kenny explained. “He started to follow her, believing she was a robbery suspect. A little later, at 46th Street and First Avenue, near the Turkish mission at the UN, police were alerted by a witness about a possible suspect in the area who had just committed a robbery.” The man, who was covered in blood, was apprehended by the authorities. They found two large kitchen knives, also stained with blood. “He seems to be homeless,” Kenny added.

Chief Kenny reported that Rivera has a history of eight arrests, with the most recent being for grand larceny in October of this year. He was released on October 17 after serving time for burglary and assault charges. On the same day, he was accused of stealing items from a store in Manhattan, according to NBC 4.

In January, Rivera faced three arrests in Hudson County, New Jersey, on charges of criminal mischief, theft, and burglary, and he was indicted by a grand jury each time. Overall, he has been linked to seven felony charges and one misdemeanor, with additional arrests in Ohio and Florida, as noted by NBC 4. Additionally, Rivera’s three arrests in Hudson County in January resulted in grand jury indictments for criminal mischief, theft, and burglary, as stated by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office. New York City Mayor Eric Adams commented, “Clearly, we have significant work ahead of us. There are important questions to address regarding why he was on the streets. He has serious mental health issues that need to be evaluated, and that will be part of our investigation.”