Residents of Norwood are mourning the apparent but as yet unconfirmed death of a young and seemingly homeless man known locally as “Kevin,” by some and affectionately nicknamed “Russia” by others, though one friend of the man said he believes he was actually from Bulgaria, not Russia.

 

Friends allege Kevin was found unresponsive on a bench located on a pathway near a forested area inside French Charley’s Park/Bronx Park East to the left of French Charley’s Playground when facing the park from the East 204th Street, elevated park entrance, by Webster Avenue in Norwood.

 

When contacted by Norwood News about the man, the NYPD said, “On [Wednesday] August 2, 2023, at 18.02 hrs, police officers responded to a 911 call at 369 East 204 Street (East 204^th Street and Webster Avenue) within the confines of the 52^nd Precinct. Upon arrival, the aided male was transported to a local hospital.”

Norwood News asked the NYPD if they could clarify if the man was found inside French Charley’s Park or at 369 East 204^th Street. We did not receive an immediate response.  The address specified is a block or two from the park entrance and may be the address of the person who reported the incident but Norwood News cannot currently confirm this.

 

Meanwhile, in reference to the man, an EMS spokesperson later told Norwood News, “Units were assigned to the [same referenced East 204^th Street] address for reports of an unconscious patient. One patient was transported to Montefiore.”

 

The spokesperson said EMS received the call about the man at 4.46 p.m., which was a little over an hour before the NYPD said they were notified of the incident. EMS added at the time that the patient’s condition was unknown. Norwood News  followed up once again and asked EMS if the man had died. We did not receive an immediate response.

On Friday, Aug. 4, standing at the street level entrance of French Charley’s Park on East 204^th Street, and pointing to the park benches inside the park on the pathway near the forested area to the left of the playground, “Angel,” a regular visitor to the park, told Norwood News, “That’s where he was.”

 

Referring to EMS, he added, “They found him dead on the benches.” Other residents also allege this was the location where Kevin had been found unresponsive.

Angel recalled how he would often see Kevin sleeping in or around the park with a blanket. He continued, “He sometimes gave me a dollar even if I didn’t want it, but he would force me to take the dollar.”

 

A local woman was later seen paying her respects to Kevin at a makeshift memorial erected outside the PLS Check Cashers on Decatur Avenue and East 204th Street in Norwood. Gesturing to the memorial, she said, “I just saw him last week; he sleeps over here.”

The check cashers location is close to the site of another recent incident involving 21-year-old Carlos Borbon who was fatally stabbed on July 28. Police said that on that occasion, officers responded to a 911 call of an “assault in progress inside of 365 East 204 Street,” and that upon arrival, “officers observed a 21-year-old male with multiple stab wounds about the body.”

 

However, some residents said they believe Borbon was stabbed in French Charley’s Park and returned home to the above-mentioned address before collapsing inside his building. Employees at a local barber shop on East 204th Street and Decatur Avenue, opposite Borbon’s home, recall seeing him pass by their store, injured, on the day of the stabbing.

When asked for clarification about the exact location of the stabbing, police said the matter was still being investigated. Norwood News has not received any information to suggest that the two incidents are in any way related.

 

Meanwhile, in reference to “Kevin,” the local female resident continued, “He held the door for us at the check cashing place and he gave something to the children because he’s a nice guy.”

A request for information regarding Kevin’s status and / or his apparent cause of death was also placed with the Office of the City’s Medical Examiner. We did not receive an immediate response.

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.