A 17-year-old girl was stabbed to death in Queens late Wednesday, police say, and another teenage girl faces murder charges in connection with the case.
According to the NYPD, officers were called to the Sunnyside scene near 46th Street and Queens Boulevard around 9:30 p.m. for a report of a stabbing. Surveillance video showed two people in shorts – who appeared to be teenage girls – about to cross Queens Boulevard.
One girl wearing dark sneakers is seen crouching, appearing to pick up something from the ground and rummaging through her belongings. A fight appeared to break out between the two while they were in the crosswalk — just as their faces were off-camera. What sparked the fight wasn't known.
Officers found the teenager stabbed in the neck. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox.> Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
Police later identified her as Sara Rivera, who lived with her family on 96th Street in Jackson Heights.
The other girl in dark sneakers was seen on video running away on Queens Boulevard, but the teenager was caught taken into custody at the scene. Police later said the 15-year-old, who was not immediately identified due to her age, was charged with second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Her relationship to Rivera wasn't clear. An ex-boyfriend of Rivera's told NBC New York that she had been friends with the suspect, but they had a spotty relationship — though he said he never imagined it would end in such a violent manner.
Local
"Sara would try to put her in check but I told her to relax just leave it alone she’s a little girl," said Jasaiah Ortega, Rivera's ex.
On Thursday, more than 100 teens who knew Rivera gathered at the spot under the 7 line where she was stabbed and killed, leaving balloons, flowers and heartfelt messages dedicated to her memory. Friends said Rivera was a student at nearby Queens Technical High School.
The investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, the transit advocacy group Passengers United condemned the violence and noted that the station doesn’t have surveillance cameras near the entrances — and at least some of the cameras it does have upstairs don't work.
"That’s unacceptable. Unacceptable. A 17-year-old girl lost her life. Who’s gonna be next here?” asked Charlton D'Souza, the president of the group.
