A man who allegedly shot a 15-year-old boy in a Manhattan park has been taken into custody, authorities said Monday.
Identified as Anibal Cruz, 36, he faces charges of murder and criminal possession of a weapon for fatally shooting Wesley Vasquez Saturday at Riverbank State in Hamilton Heights, police said.
Cruz was taken into custody after officials obtained a description from several eyewitnesses at the park.
He was allegedly captured while trying to dispose of the weapon associated with the shooting, officers said.
Vasquez was struck by multiple bullets and was rushed to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, where he later died, according to the New York State Police.
“The case is currently being handled by the New York State Police and we are assisting them in trying to obtain probable cause on Mr. Cruz,” said NYPD Deputy Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny.
This shooting was one of nine that have taken place in the Big Apple since Friday afternoon, including several that left children seriously injured, agents said.
On Sunday night four people were injured during a shooting in the Bronx, including a 12-year-old girl, the New York Post reported.
Also, a 5-year-old girl was seriously injured when she was shot in the back while sitting in the back of a family vehicle also in The Bronx.
“What we’ve been seeing, unfortunately, in some areas of the city is lawlessness before the shot,” the New York police chief said. “Large groups of people on the streets. One of them a memorial, one of them an illegal social club, and the rest were vigilante groups on the streets.”
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