A 14-year-old boy was fatally stabbed Friday afternoon during a chaotic street fight in Sunnyside, Queens, police said.
The attack occurred around 3:30 p.m. across from a McDonald's. According to witnesses, a large group of masked teens ambushed another group, leading to a violent altercation, CBS reported.
"A group of maybe like 15, 20 kids in ski masks pull up on another group of kids, and like, it was just hectic. They were screaming and cursing at each other," one witness recounted.
Police say the victim was stabbed in the abdomen and rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died from his injuries. His identity has not yet been released.
Authorities have taken two people of interest into custody for questioning but have not confirmed how many suspects were involved. Officers were seen examining a knife at the scene and searching for clues inside the nearby McDonald's.
Local residents voiced concerns over rising youth violence. "A lot of kids hang out at the McDonald's," one man said. "Kids don't have anywhere to go ... We need to do better for the community."
The tragedy comes as NYC sees a disturbing rise in youth assaults. There were 2,400 felony assaults and 4,200 misdemeanor assaults involving victims under 18—the highest number in five years, according to CBS News New York.
Police are continuing to investigate the attack.
Originally published on Latin Times
