NEW YORK, NY – Police in New York City have made two additional arrests in the fatal stabbing of a migrant man at a tent city on Randall’s Island. The NYPD apprehended the suspects, Ferneys Horta, 33, and Anthony Navas, 27, on Monday, following the murder of the 25-year-old victim, Dafren Canizalez, over the weekend.
Horta now faces a murder charge, while Navas is charged with gang assault. Their arrests transpired two days after Canizalez was viciously assaulted and fatally stabbed inside a cafeteria tent at the shelter. Moises Coronado, 27, the presumed attacker, was detained promptly after the murder on Saturday and was charged the following day.
A dispute ensued when Coronado reportedly provoked Canizalez’s girlfriend, which led to the lethal altercation. Canizalez was allegedly confronted and cornered by the mob, during which Coronado supposedly stabbed him in the chest. The weapon implicated in the murder was recovered at the crime scene.
Coronado denied any guilt in court and was held without bail pending his next court appearance. Meanwhile, the pending arraignments for Horta and Navas are expected soon.
The sprawling tent city on Randall’s Island, established last year to accommodate the influx of migrants into the city, has been a source of unrest, according to asylum seekers. Alleged splits among migrants based on their ethnicity and home countries have resulted in sporadic conflicts. Furthermore, migrants who have overstayed their 60-day residency limit have reportedly set up unofficial dwellings on nearby grassland.
In response to safety concerns, Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday the placement of metal detectors and security cameras at the site and others. “We’re doing a complete analysis of the security,” he said during a press briefing, adding they would utilize visual technology as part of the security enhancement efforts. The city already incurs daily expenses of around $25,000 for security at shelters housing over 68,000 migrants.