Student, 19, Fatally Stabbed Near Manhattan High School
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A manhunt was on Thursday night for the suspects wanted in the killing of a 19-year-old earlier in the day on Manhattan's West Side following an apparent fight among high school students.
The violence happened near the High School for Environmental Studies around 2:30 p.m.
The victim, identified as Theodore Beckles of the Bronx, was stabbed at a stoop at 416 West 56th St., before he staggered and collapsed, police said.
Authorities said it all started as a fight between two girls near the building that houses both the High School for Environmental Studies and Independence High School, CBS 2's Sean Hennessey reported.
One of the girls was with a group of guys. Friends said Beckles stepped in to protect his girlfriend, who is pregnant with his child. Beckles was stabbed, and his attackers took off.
"His girl was in a fight and he didn't want her to get hurt because she's pregnant, and so he's trying to push her away and push other girls off of her and then stuff just happened," said the victim's friend, Mike Perez.
"He got stabbed twice in the chest from what I could see," said witness and former EMT Danny Foulds.
Beckles was rushed to the hospital, but didn't make it.
"I heard a lot of screaming, a lot of kids running up and down the block screaming. I saw the principal was out, very concerned about the kid," witness David Skolza told WCBS 880's Marla Diamond. "She said that he was once a student there but he was transferred to another school, Independence High School, and she was pleading with him basically to sit still because he was trying to get up."
"It's crazy something like that happened, you know? It's always the good that go," one of the victim's friends said.
"He was a good kid, had a very bright future ahead of him," another one of the victim's friends said.
Beckles lived in an apartment down the street from the home where his mother lives. Beckles left behind a younger brother, a mother and baby who, when born, will never know his or her father.
Police are searching for at least three suspects, but no arrests have been made.
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