A Manhattan grand jury has indicted Ramon Rivera, 51, on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, for a violent stabbing spree that left three people dead within three hours last month, prosecutors announced Thursday.
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Unprovoked Attacks Across Manhattan
Prosecutors described the November 18 attacks as a “random and violent series of stabbings” that shocked the city.
“These fatal stabbings have shaken our city, and those who commit random acts of violence will face accountability,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
Rivera allegedly broke into a hardware store on First Avenue early that morning, stealing a backpack, kitchen knives, and construction gloves before embarking on the deadly rampage, officials said.
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Timeline of the Attacks
- First Victim: At approximately 8:20 a.m., Rivera fatally stabbed 35-year-old Angel Lata Landi twice in the torso near a construction site on West 19th Street, according to police and prosecutors.
- Second Victim: Two hours later, 67-year-old Chang Wang was stabbed multiple times while fishing on East 30th Street, authorities said.
- Third Victim: Around 11 a.m., 36-year-old Wilna Augustin was attacked while sitting on a park bench near East 42nd Street and First Avenue. Witnesses reported hearing her scream for help before she succumbed to her injuries.
All three victims were transported to local hospitals, where they were pronounced dead.
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Eyewitness Led Police to the Suspect
Following the third attack, an eyewitness trailed Rivera and alerted law enforcement, prosecutors said. A police officer and a federal agent apprehended him near East 46th Street and First Avenue. Two bloody kitchen knives were recovered at the scene.
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Charges and Legal Proceedings
The grand jury’s indictment charges Rivera with:
- One count of first-degree murder
- Three counts of second-degree murder
- One count of third-degree burglary
Initially, Rivera faced three counts of first-degree murder after his arrest. Police sources said he confessed to the killings during questioning.
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Suspect’s History and Mental Health
Rivera, who had been staying at the Bellevue Men’s Shelter, has a history of eight prior arrests in New York City, primarily for shoplifting. None of his previous charges involved weapons.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams highlighted concerns about Rivera’s mental health.
“There’s a real question as to why he was on the street,” Adams said following the arrest.
Rivera was out without bail pending trial for recent arrests and had two documented interactions with the city while in mental distress, officials said.
