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Family Of Slain Harlem High School Sports Star Want Charges Against Parking Attendant

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The parking attendant who allegedly stabbed 19-year-old Isayah Muller to death in a Bronx parking lot Tuesday afternoon was not charged Thursday, angering the victim's family.

Prosecutors said Isayah's father, Andre Muller, attacked attendants with a shovel because he believed they had stolen a $200 bottle of cologne out of his car, a graduation present for his son, Kristin Thorne reports.

While defending his father, Isayah Muller was stabbed in the chest. The family said Thursday it does not understand why no one has been charged yet.

"He had no weapon on him, why did they use a weapon on him, and kill him. He had no weapon," the victim's aunt, Elisabel Asencio, told CBS 2's Derricke Dennis.

"You don't just release anybody after you kill them and it's in self defense, I've never seen that happen in New York state," George Ascensio, the victim's uncle, said.

Andre Muller has a criminal history that seems to have ended six years ago.  He has six priors totaling 11 years in prison, Dennis reported.

Some detectives wonder if the father went into some kind of rage from his past when he went after two men he thought stole expensive cologne from his car, cologne that was supposed to be his son's graduation gift, CBS 2's Pablo Guzman reports.

Andre Muller
Andre Muller still had his son's blood on his shirt when he was arraigned (credit: CBS 2)

The grand jury will have to answer this family's question: did someone kill Isayah Muller or did someone stab him in self defense?

Muller's cousin Julio Camacho didn't want to show his face on camera, but told CBS 2 his family is not going to let this rest. They want charges filed against the attendants.

Andre Muller attended a vigil for his son just about 24 hours after watching him receive his high school diploma. Some 200 others also gathered outside the apartment of Isayah's grandparents.

"My feelings, I can't even express them in words right now," one resident said. "It wasn't his time, you know what I'm saying?"

T-shirts, candles and heartfelt messages to the beloved football player lined 10th Avenue.

"Isayah Muller was somebody's child, nephew and his death should not stay in vain," said teary-eyed family friend Eneida Lugo.

Andre Muller appeared in court to be arraigned on assault charges Wednesday with his son's blood still staining his shirt. Prosecutors told the judge that Muller was the aggressor and the parking attendant was acting in self defense.

Isayah's friends don't buy that.

"It wasn't self defense. It was murder and they need to pay dearly for what they did," Lugo said.

Andre Muller is expected to testify before a Grand Jury, which will ultimately decide if charges should be pressed against the parking attendants.

Isayah Muller's family is preparing for his funeral. Many of their family members are expected to fly in from Puerto Rico.

Muller was a superstar, leading his team at Truman High School in the Bronx to their first ever PSAL Bowl title in November. He had dreams of being in the NFL and was going to Nassau Community College in the fall.

He grabbed the attention of everyone in that championship game after running 290 yards and making an 80-yard touchdown.

What's your reaction to this tragedy? Should the person who wielded the knife face charges? Sound off in our comments section below…

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