Mayor Adams blames 'failed' system after man accused of fatal stabbing spree in Manhattan

A homeless man fatally stabbed three people multiple times with a pair of kitchen knives in a morning spree of violence that spanned more than 20 blocks in Manhattan, police said.

Police on Monday said the man, who was identified as 51-year-old Ramon Rivera, was taken into custody on 42nd Street. He was arrested at 5:30 p.m. and charged with three counts of murder in the first degree, officials said. His attorney information was not immediately available.

"It is a clear example of a criminal justice system and mental health system that continues to fail New Yorkers," Mayor Eric Adams said at a press conference on Monday afternoon. “There's some real questions that we need to look at on why he was on the street and he has some severe mental health issues that should have been examined.”

Adams and police officials didn’t elaborate on what, if any, diagnosed mental health issues the alleged attacker had.

Two of the victims died soon after being transported to the hospital, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said early Monday afternoon. A third died later Monday evening, police said.

According to Kenny, the alleged attacker has been arrested on at least eight previous occasions.

Court records show that Rivera pleaded not guilty last month to a minor theft and was released without bail pending a hearing next month. Prosecutors sought bail, but were denied, according to records.

Nieves said the man was previously arrested in connection with a pattern of burglaries of small merchants, but those charges do not appear in New York's court records. Nieves said Ramon had several other arrests in New Jersey, Ohio and Florida, but did not provide specifics.

Adams said the suspect was sentenced “a few months ago,” but did not say for what. Police officials did confirm the sentencing in connection with the pattern of burglaries.

The violence on Monday started just after 8 a.m., when the man stabbed a 36-year-old construction worker in the abdomen on West 19th Street near Eighth Avenue, according to Kenny, who called the attack unprovoked. A police spokesperson had previously described the location as East 9th Street, but has since confirmed Kenny’s account.

Kenny said the weapon used was a kitchen knife. The victim, a man, was pronounced dead after being transported to Bellevue Hospital, Kenny said.

Two hours later, the suspect stabbed a 68-year-old man fishing on the promenade at 500 E. 30th St., Kenny said. That man was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Kenny said.

Thirty minutes later, Kenny said, the suspect stabbed a 36-year-old-woman multiple times throughout her body near the United Nations at E. 42nd Street. She was pronounced dead later Monday evening, authorities said. Police had previously described the woman as being in her 20s.

Police on Monday night said the victims' names were being withheld until their families are notified.

Kenny said a witness then notified a police officer, 19-year veteran NYPD Officer Robert Garvey, who was stationed at a guard post near the U.N. Kenny said the suspect was then arrested.

“They recovered two large kitchen knives that are covered in blood,” Kenny said. “His clothing is also covered in blood.”

Officials declined to describe Garvey’s exact actions that led to the arrest, but Adams praised his service.

“If Officer Garvey was not there, these random acts of violence conceivably would have continued,” Adams said.

Editor's note: After publication of earlier versions of this story, court records were made available and the NYPD released new information that corrected statements police initially provided regarding the age of one of the victims, the location of the first stabbing and the suspect's previous arrests. This article has been updated throughout to reflect the most accurate information available.