Photo by Síle Moloney
The NYPD has released a video and photo of a suspect wanted in connection with the murder that occurred in Fordham Manor on Wednesday afternoon, July 31. They are asking for the public’s assistance identifying the man who is described as male, has a medium complexion, a slim build, and braids. They said he was last seen wearing a gray, hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, a tan t-shirt, and white and black sneakers, and was last seen going northbound on University Avenue on foot to parts unknown.
As reported, police launched a murder investigation after a 34-year-old man died following a fatal stabbing in Fordham Manor on Wednesday. He has since been named as Cristian Torres of University Avenue in The Bronx, and one resident said the killing occurred following a dispute.
Photo courtesy of the NYPD
Officers from the 52nd Precinct said they responded to a 911 call at around 1.37 p.m. about a man who had been stabbed at 2448 University Avenue, located within the confines of the 52nd Precinct.
“Upon arrival, officers observed a 34-year-old male with a stab wound to the chest inside the location,” a police spokesperson said. “The victim was transported by EMS to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.” Police said there were no arrests and the investigation remains ongoing.
THE NYPD RELEASED this video of a suspect wanted in connection with the murder that occurred at 2448 University Avenue in Fordham Manor on Wednesday afternoon, July 31, 2024, and are appealing to the public for help identifying the man. Video courtesy of the NYPD
On male resident of University Avenue who said he lived in the building next door to 2448 University Avenue said he had been with Torres right before the stabbing incident unfolded. Speaking in Spanish, he said, “We were sharing a moment together, hanging out around the corner [on West 188th Street, at the side of the building located at 2448 University Avenue]. I was splashing myself with water [from the fire hydrant] and he was sitting on a chair having a beer.”
The male resident continued, “One guy approached him and started complaining to him about something. The guy was from the same building [2448 University Avenue].” He said Torres lived on the second floor. Asked if the two building residents knew each other, the man appeared to think they did. The resident said the man who initially approached Torres then left and allegedly called who the resident referred to as “the friends” who he said later arrived at the scene and started fighting with Torres.
Photo by Síle Moloney
The resident said he, himself, then left the scene and he said Torres started to run inside his own building, that the group followed him and that it was somewhere inside the hallway of the building, to his knowledge, where the stabbing took place though he said he didn’t know exactly where. “They killed him,” the resident said. The front entrance to the building had been cordoned off by police and detectives were seen carrying out an investigation.
Asked if the man who first approached Torres and who had argued with him was among the group who later attacked the victim, the man said he was not. He added, “He left the area but later he returned around two minutes after the stabbing took place.”
We asked the resident if he, himself, had felt scared. He replied, “No, what I felt was sadness and anger because we’re all friends.” Asked to describe Torres, the resident said, “He was a good youngster. He was only like 23 or 25 years old or something… I’m 45 so for me, he’s like my son. He’s a really good guy.” Asked if he knew what the argument had been about, he said he did not.
Later, Norwood News spoke to Jada, a female family member of the victim outside the building who said Torres was her “uncle but not by blood.” When asked by one reporter what her reaction was when she found out he had been stabbed, she said, “I couldn’t say nothin’. I was just shocked.” She later explained her relationship with Torres further, saying, “He’s like my dad’s friend. He’s seen me grow up but I haven’t seen him in a couple of years so I don’t really know what to say but I consider him my uncle.”
Photo by Síle Moloney
Asked when was the last time she saw Torres, she said, “Earlier today. I was with him earlier today, hanging out with my dad.” Asked what they had been doing, she said, “We were sitting around having fun. My dad was drinking with his friends. I was there.. [inaudible].”
Asked how she heard about the incident, Jada said, “I was here.” She said she didn’t see the stabbing itself but saw him being put on a stretcher. Asked if she would like to describe Torres, Jada said, “He was a good person. He was nice. He had a good heart, a very big heart. He was very giving, understanding. He would talk to you. He was a very good person.”
We also spoke to some local residents, none of whom wished to be identified, in the aftermath of the stabbing about what happened. Some said they recognized Torres from seeing him around the building at 2448 University Avenue. Some said generally it was safe in the area but more police presence would be a good thing.
Some told us they didn’t see what happened and only later witnessed police and ambulances outside the building, which is located on the corner of University Avenue and West 188th Street.
Photo by Síle Moloney
We asked one resident of the area how he felt knowing the victim had been fatally stabbed. Speaking in Spanish, he responded, “Sadness, because the family must be grieving and it’s something that could be avoided.”
We asked some women seated on the opposite side of the street outside a hair salon if they had seen what happened but they said they only saw the police arriving and the commotion afterwards. Speaking in Spanish, one woman called Cecilia said she didn’t live in the immediate area and only came to get her hair done at the salon from time to time. Asked how she felt knowing that a murder had taken place in such close proximity, she said, “It feels ugly…bad.”
Photo by Síle Moloney
We spoke to some other woman nearby who were also seated outside a building opposite the building where the murder took place, and asked for their reaction to the stabbing. Speaking in Spanish, one woman said, “It’s a pity.”
We asked them if they felt safe in general in the neighborhood. The same woman replied, “Well, I live here a long time and thanks be to God, I haven’t had any problems with anyone. Nobody has any problems with anyone here.” Asked if she had ever witnessed anything similar happening in the neighborhood, she said, “No, not here.”
We asked Jada if she knew if Torres had had any enemies and she said, “No, he didn’t.”
Photo by Paulette Pryce
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.
All calls are strictly confidential.
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
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