Photo by Síle Moloney
Police have opened a homicide investigation after a 45-year-old Manhattan man was killed in the University Heights section of The Bronx. One neighbor alleged she witnessed an argument taking place between the victim and a woman earlier on the day of the murder.
Police said that on Saturday, Aug. 2, at around 9.13 p.m., officers responded to a 911 call regarding an assault in progress in front of 28 North Street within the confines of the 52nd Precinct.
“Upon arrival, officers observed a 45-year-old male victim who sustained injuries to the head,” a police spokesperson said. “EMS responded and transported the victim to St. Barnabas Hospital where [the victim was] later pronounced deceased.”
Photo by Síle Moloney
Police said the incident was deemed a homicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the investigation remains ongoing. The deceased was identified as Ercel Williams of Manhattan. We asked the NYPD if anyone was being questioned currently and a female spokesperson said, “No, the investigation remains ongoing.”
When Norwood News visited the location on Thursday evening, Aug. 14, a candle memorial was seen on the sidewalk about 10 to 15 feet away from 29 North Street, closer to the corner with Davidson Avenue. The address itself of 29 North Street appears to be an abandoned building though a cat was seen next to it also on the evening of Aug. 14, and some cars were parked next to and behind it. A “No Trespassing” sign was affixed to both the closed gate and the house.
Photo by Síle Moloney
In front of the candle memorial, the sidewalk was seen stained with some type of liquid substance which neighbors said had been poured on top of where the blood stains had been. One resident who did not witness the incident said she heard from neighbors the man had been beaten with a baseball bat. Norwood News has asked the Chief Medical Examiner if they can confirm if this was the case and will share any feedback we receive.
More to follow.
Anyone with information regarding 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.
admin
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.