The death of 15 -year old Lesandro Guzman-Feliz is one that strikes at the heart of our humanity. This is a sad and chilling story of a high school bronx teen known as ‘Junior’ who was brutally stabbed to death by a group of adult men for an alleged mistaken identity on Wednesday night of June 20th, 2018.
Just moments before his sudden death, Junior told his mother and sister that he was headed to repay a friend and needed to get change from the building’s bodega. It was well past ” Its 10pm, do you know where your kids are? “ evening news alert, but Junior assured his family that he’ll be right back. Junior never returned home!
It is rumored that on his way to the bodega, Junior had a verbal confrontation with the suspects and ran inside the bodega for ‘safety’. Junior was a regular patron of the bodega his mother explains, and thought he would’ve been helped instead. In one video junior is dragged by two of the suspects, and the store owner/employees can be seen ushering the group to go outside. In another camera store video, junior is outside the bodega on the concrete floor seconds before his vicious murder unfolds.
One of the suspects cuts junior a few times with a ‘machete’ while another ‘punches’ him, and another executes more stabbings using a sharp blade/knife; a few of which pierced junior’s carotid (neck) artery. After the attack, Junior emerges from the ground in front of the bodega. He shouts ‘something’ with both hands in the air before running towards St. Barnabas Hospital which was one block away.
In a final video clip, A woman is seen applying pressure to Junior’s neck as he holds on to his final breaths drenched in his own blood which covered his entire body. Police Officers seem to offer no help in providing any first responder and B.L.S – Basic Life Support. Other by standers ‘recorded’ video calling Junior’s name while demanding police to help him.
” Junior Collapsed On The Doorsteps Of St. Barnabas Hospital, And Was Pronounced Dead On Arrival. “
It seems that many of us (hue)man’s have become so desensitized to the killings in our own backyard. We straddle the fence when deciding when we should stand together on the side of JUSTICE. What constitutes the right or wrong action of others for Justice to be served? I’m almost content in believing that most of us would rather be ‘numb’ to the realities happening in our present society.
Junior didn’t have to be your long lost cousin or blood relative – but he could’ve been. Junior was a 15 year old teenager whose life was cut way too short. Just thinking about youths that I mentor, my nephews/nieces, many of whom are the same age as Junior, and them being robbed of their lives at such a young age at the level of violence given to Junior is hard to consume mentally.
” The Case Of Mistaken Identity “
Junior’s mother says her son’s death was the result of mistaken identity. Speaking in espanol, the mother says the suspects were looking for a boy who resembled her son. The ‘teenager’ in question allegedly exposed one of the killer’s younger sisters awhile back getting ‘bang f–ked’ in a live sex video. In that video, the young woman is seen covering her face yet she is fully aware that she’s being recorded. The alleged gang members were seeking a revenge plot but they caught the wrong individual.
The more I’m learning from the coverage’s of this story, the more outrage I feel by the lack of help Junior received as he bled to death.
There were adults in the store, watching other adults enter the store to drag a young teen out of the store and yet they didn’t intervene –Desensitized!
While there is camera footage, one adult employee peaks outside the store – witnesses the injustice, and goes back inside the store. Desensitized!
The hospital staff (dressed in blue scrub attire) seen casually walking by while Junior was was bleeding out. Desensitized!
Final moments of Junior’s life, other witnesses and police are on the scene, and only two women are seen helping Junior. Again, Desensitized!
All of the young men who participated in Junior’s death, Desensitized!
I support video footage and feel they’re a necessary tool in times of danger, but how many recorders are needed. In the case of Junior, a human life was on the line and there were more video recorders, and bystanders neglecting to save a life than help. We say enough is enough but what does that actually mean? Are we abolishing something old, and beginning something new? Or, Are we just riding the trends of talking the talk and not walking the walk?
When deciding justice, our decision is one that should stem from its origin; the scale of righteousness vs. evil. Junior’s murder was a criminal act of evil intent and impulse.
There were five adult men who entered the store to ensure Juniors exit from the store but from additional witness videos there were more men (a total of 10-11) who participated in Junior’s brutal death. All that plotted and executed the murder of this young teenager has no moral compass whatsoever, and must be brought to JUSTICE.
Our deepest condolences to the Guzman-Feliz family.
Update: June 26th 2018. Eight (8) men were arrested in the death of Junior. Seven of the men are scheduled to be arraignment in New York City next month. The eighth man in questioning a recent arrest and alleged to be the suspect in all white w/black scarf covering (bottom right).
Junior final going away ceremony was held on June 27th. 2018.
