Post by Scumhunter on Feb 10, 2016 16:55:07 GMT -5
STATEN ISLAND — Police are aggressively searching for a man who allegedly fatally stabbed a woman and her two children and injured another child in a Staten Island hotel.
Michael Sykes, 23, was named by police as the suspect in Wednesday morning’s stabbing at the Ramada Inn located at 535 Gannon Ave. Sykes is the father of one of the murdered children.
“As a parent there is nothing more horrible than the loss of a child,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio at a press conference Wednesday. “There’s nothing more horrible than the notion of an adult who would attack an innocent child.
According to the NYPD’s investigation, at 7:30 a.m., Rebecca Cutler, 26, and her three children were at a deli on Victory Boulevard.
Police said the family was homeless for economic reasons. They were living at the Ramada Inn since December 2015 and had no prior evidence or history of domestic violence. There was no indication Sykes was living with the family.
Sykes waited in the hallway for the family to return from the diner before allegedly attacking them.
The stabbing happened about 8:50 a.m. Hotel staff discovered Cutler and her three children with stab wounds.
Cutler was pronounced dead at Richmond University Medical Center.
Her daughters Ziana Cutler, 1, and Maiyah Sykes, 4 months, were rushed to Staten Island University North Hospital where they were pronounced dead.
The third child, who is 2, was taken to RUMC where police say it “looks like she’s going to make it.”
Police say Sykes called a family member at 10:30 a.m., admitted to the crime and said he may take his own life. He then got on a bus, then fled on the Staten Island Ferry, police said.
NYPD recovered a large kitchen knife “covered in blood” at the scene which they believe was the murder weapon.
Sykes and Cutler had an argument Tuesday, and he took her phone, according to the NYPD.
The hotel was servicing homeless families since August 2015, and since had no record of violence, police said. The hotel has overnight security, but not during the day. Mayor de Blasio said the hotel won’t be used again.
Department of Homeless services is offering security to all 41 hotels servicing homeless families around NYC. Mayor de Blasio said the extra security will be available immediately and at no charge to the hotels. Because the hotels are private property, it is up to the hotel manager to decide if they’ll accept the services.
Mayor de Blasio said the City plans to stop the use of hotels for homeless services as soon as possible.
“There will be moments when there’s a particular need we may have to turn to hotels,” said de Blasio. “But the goal is to use hotels less and less.”
pix11.com/2016/02/10/adult-3-children-stabbed-at-staten-island-hotel/
Admin Note #1: Based on wanted location, our advice for anyone with information on Sykes' whereabouts would be to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS
Admin Note #2: If you have any news-related updated information on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form