BRONX, NY – Three individuals have been taken into custody for the execution-style killing of a 45-year-old subway passenger in the Bronx last week. William Alvarez was fatally shot aboard a southbound D train as it arrived at 182 and 183 Streets station, resulting in the arrest of Justin Herde, 24, Betty Cotto, 38, and Alfredo Trinidad, 42.
US Marshals Service and local enforcement officers have successfully confiscated the suspected weapon involved in the crime. Even though Alvarez is portrayed by the police as not the primary instigator, he was already on the train when the triad boarded, leading to a heated altercation.
One of the suspects fired a shot at Alvarez in the torso and fled the scene as the train docked. The critically wounded Alvarez was immediately taken to St. Barnabas Hospital where he was confirmed dead. Post speculation of a possible stabbing, a post-mortem confirmed the cause of death as a bullet wound.
In a collaborative effort between the local police and the US Marshals, the accused were apprehended from a local Bronx apartment, with the suspected murder weapon retrieved during the course of the raid.
Ralph Sozio, US Marshal for the Southern District of New York, applauded the collective effort and stated this as a reflection of the unrivaled perseverance of local and federal law enforcement agencies to serve justice and ensure a safer community.
However, in an unrelated event at a briefing on Monday, NYPD Chief of Transit, Michael Kemper revealed an alarming spike of 45% in subway crimes in January, which is largely due to grand larcenies. This month, the crime rate has dropped by about 17%.