As various community and wellness leaders gathered at a circle of healing event in the Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood on Tuesday evening, Aug. 12, as part of a preorganized effort to help local youth process their feelings following the fatal stabbing of 14-year-old Ángel Miguel Mendoza Hernández inside the packed park one week earlier on Aug. 5, the peaceful gathering was abruptly and seemingly deliberately and maliciously disrupted by a group of motorized bike riders.

 

As reported, some local young people had previously shared some of their thoughts with residents and with the Norwood News on the brutal gang assault, with one young person saying she believed the stabbing was pre-planned, and that in the weeks leading up to it, she had noticed a group of youths frequenting the park on bikes who she did not know.

 

On the evening of Aug. 12, at 7.30 p.m., the approximate time the 911 call had been placed one week prior, participants sat in a circle and answered questions like how they could look out for each other and what they needed to feel safe and supported in the park. The event organizer requested that we not show the participants’ faces and we are respecting that request.

About a half hour after the healing circle started, at around 8 p.m., a group of around ten motorized bike riders suddenly entered the park via the Bainbridge Avenue entrance. One after the other, with the engines revving, they drove right over to the entrance of the recreation center to where the healing circle was taking place in what looked like an attempted act of intimidation.

 

Without stopping, they continued to drive right by the group before then heading towards the main Oval track, turning right towards the basketball courts, and later exiting through a park side entrance upon being confronted by a police car which had put its lights and siren on.

 

Some of the healing circle participants turned around startled by the sudden ruckus before resuming their discussion which lasted until around 9 p.m.

Right after the bikers drove through the park, some young people who had been playing basketball in the nearby court started to leave the park but later, as police re-entered it from the Bainbridge Avenue end, some stayed and were seen joining the healing circle, while others were seen talking to the police off to the side.

 

As reported, one young teen had previously told Norwood News that she and others had vowed to protect themselves following the stabbing, seemingly having lost faith in the police to do so.

 

At one point, one young male teen who appeared to be accompanied in the park by his mother, and who seemed upset and angry was seen arguing and lightly tussling with his (apparent) mother at one point. As police approached them (perhaps with the aim of protecting the mother who was about the same height or smaller than the young teen), there were calls by other young people to leave the teen alone.

 

The situation was subsequently diffused and the same police officers were later seen in calm conversation with various young people to the side of the healing circle and continued for some time.

Norwood News recorded the bikers passing through the Oval but are not publishing the video as the faces of those participating in the healing circle are visible in the background.

 

As reported, on the day Ángel was killed, another adult resident said she had noticed a group of youths on bikes near the basketball court around 3.30 p.m. who seemed to be bothering park goers and had said that the atmosphere seemed off. She said she notified NYC Parks of her concerns and was informed by an NYC Parks representative that Parks employees are “not supposed to say” anything [to such groups] and that such matters were for Parks Enforcement Patrol Officers (PEPs).

 

Norwood News asked NYC Parks if the representative had passed on the resident’s concerns to any PEPs. We did not receive an immediate answer. It is unknown currently if the group seen that day had anything to do with the stabbings.

 

As reported, a 17-year-old male was also stabbed on Aug. 5 during the incident in which Ángel died, and was reported to be in stable condition in hospital, police said. They added that five people were arrested for criminal possession of a weapon and four have since been charged with murder and other charges, while two more are still sought. The defendants are deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

According to NYC Parks, PEP officers are uniformed, shielded officers who provide security and safety in city parks, provide information about Parks rules to patrons, and safeguard Parks’ wildlife and facilities. PEP officers are empowered to issue summonses for violations and to make arrests. In addition to regular patrols, PEPs patrol city parks by bicycle, horseback and on scooters.

 

As reported, Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7) has long requested more PEPs and cameras in all parks in Bronx Community District 7, including in the Oval. Local elected officials have since called for more cameras in the Oval and more supervision of the park by police.

 

As reported, two GoFundMe pages have been set-up to support Ángel’s family with various expenses, one to help the family with his funeral and one to assist with the transfer costs of Angel’s body to the Dominican Republic.

 

For more on Ángel’s family’s reaction to the tragedy and what local youth had to say about it, click here. For more on the assault, initial reaction from local elected officials, as well as prior measures proposed by Bronx Community Board 7 to promote safety in the Oval and other local parks, click here. For more on calls by residents for more security in the park following the incident, click here.

Help is available for anyone dealing with mental health issues. Read our recent health check here. For immediate mental health support in New York City, anyone can contact NYC Well 24/7 by calling 888-NYC-WELL (692-9355), texting “WELL” to 65173, or visiting NYC.gov for online chat. For crisis situations, dialing 988 connects individuals to free, confidential crisis counseling and support. 

 

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.nypdonline.org/, on X @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.

 

*Miriam Quinones contributed to this story.