NYPD IDs 1 of 5 suspects in mistaken-identity machete killing

The New York Police Department on Monday identified one of five suspects in the brutal killing of a 15-year-old boy who was pulled out of a store and stabbed several times by a group of men with long knives.

Surveillance footage published by the Post showed Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz, who dreamed of being a police officer, being dragged from the store by his attackers, who were seen stabbing the teen repeatedly with a machete.

The New York Post, citing police sources, identified one of the suspects as Kevin J. Alvarez, 19. He was charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, gang assault and assault, the paper reported.

#justiceforjunior 🇩🇴R.I.P. .These Bronx streets are ruthless .What piss me off the most is that these BX cops be harassing the shit outta people then they see a boy bleeding to death and ask what happen ?“uuuummmmmmmm😤😤😤 How bout you call the ambulance like ya be calling for back up when ya see nikkas smoking in front of a building !!!!! People be like”call the police!” Call the police!!” But for what the operators be asking you questions for like 4 minutes on the phone with an attitude and the cops come maaa lateeee.

Una publicación compartida de Cardi B Official IG (@iamcardib) el 22 Jun, 2018 a las 9:50 PDT

Two suspects reportedly were taken into custody in the Bronx, while three more were tracked down to Paterson, New Jersey.

Crowd jeers as 19-year-old Kevin J Alvarez is walked away in handcuffs; charged with Murder 2, Manslaughter, Gang Assault, Assault for the attack on 15-year-old Lesandro Guzman-Feliz in the Bronx. #JusticeForLesandro #JUSTICEFORJUNIOR pic.twitter.com/mMQ9pE3bYY

— CeFaan Kim (@CeFaanKim) June 25, 2018

The attack stemmed from a case of “mistaken identity,” the paper reported.

The New York Times reported that social media users believed that the victim may have been mistaken for another teen seen in a sex video with one of the suspect’s relatives.

Members of the Trinitarios street gangs reportedly apologized to Guzman-Feliz’s family and said, “It wasn’t supposed to be him.”

The stabbing murder of this young man is among the most brutal crimes I’ve seen in my 36yr career. @NYPDDetectives are working hard to capture these killers, but we also need your help. Watch this video and call #800577TIPS with any information you can provide. #JUSTICEFORJUNIOR pic.twitter.com/h6QxmGtEsx

— Chief Terence Monahan (@NYPDChiefofDept) June 23, 2018

Police said they responded to a 911 call about an assault in progress just before midnight on Wednesday.

Guzman-Feliz, according to investigators, got into an argument with a group outside a bodega on East 183rd Street and was stabbed in the neck. The suspects bolted and Guzman-Feliz tried to reach a nearby hospital on foot, but collapsed before arriving.

NYPD Chief Terence Monahan described Guzman-Feliz’s murder as “among the most brutal crimes I’ve seen in my 36yr career.”

The Times reported that the NYPD has been flooded with tips and needed additional staff to field all of the calls to the city’s 1-800-577-TIPS hotline.