Bloody Holiday Week

Club Violence Leaves One Dead, Eight Wounded

(Photo by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 9- Two incidents around area bars have left one man dead and eight others wounded. Three others were killed and at least four others were wounded in at least five other violent incidents reported across the borough.

On July 6, police were called to the Whispers Inn, located at 1246 E. Gun Hill Road in the Laconia section. The victim, Dwight Lewis, 27, of the Claremont section was shot dead at just before closing time after getting into an argument with a fellow patron.

The mortally wounded Lewis was rushed to Jacobi Hospital where he expired from his injuries.

An unidentified man inside the club, stated, "The man unfortunately died. The police are looking at the surveillance video now."

Moments later a pair of detectives would exit the watering hole, one carrying a laptop computer, apparently with the video of the incident.

A second unidentified man wearing a Metropolitan Transit Authority uniform was seen locking up the club, he fumed, "Don't take my picture, I'm not the owner. I'm just a worker," before getting into a vehicle and speeding away.

The following morning at just after 4 a.m., cops were called to a the topless bar, "Club Eleven," located at 1152 Randall Avenue in the Hunts Point section. A brawl in the street left two men shot and six individuals slashed. All of the victims are expected to survive.

The carnage was not limited to local watering-holes as a 19-year -old man was shot in the leg in front of 1662 Vyce Avenue in Claremont Village, at 2:30 p.m., on July 5.

Later that same night a young mother allegedly killed her two young children before attempting to commit suicide-- but failed, inside her Parkchester home.

At just before 4:30 a.m., on July 6, one man was shot in the leg and a second suffered a graze wound outside of 270 E. Burnside Avenue. Both victims were reported to be in stable condition.

Ten minutes after the Burnside shooting, a 25-year-old man was stabbed to death inside his home at 578 E. 141 Street. Police would question and later arrest his girlfriend.

At just after 2 a.m. on July 8, another individual was reported shot at White Plains Road and E. 225 Street. That victim was also expected to recover.

The NYPD has registered 802 shootings in the first six-months of 2012, up nearly 11 percent over the previous year, but the murder rate is still down for the first half of the year with just 194 killings.

Murder Mom Charged with Gassing Kids

Mom Charged in Death's of Two Children

(Photo by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 9- A Parkchester mother has been arrested and charged with  the deaths of her two young children after a failed suicide attempt.

Fire officials were called for an odor of gas coming from a ninth-floor apartment at 1500 Noble Avenue, at just before midnight on July 5. Officials would have to break down the door to gain access to the apartment.

Officials would discover the two children, later identified by police as Trevor Noel, Jr., 5, and his 4-month-old sister Lillian, who were "unresponsive," and both were declared dead at the scene.

Paramedics removed the children's mother Lisette Bamenga, 29, an elementary school teacher with the Department of Education. Bamenga was also overcome by the fumes and also had minor slash wounds to both her wrists.

Bamenga was rushed to Jacobi Hospital where she is currently listed in stable condition.

Investigators reported a suicide note was found at the scene and plastic was found taped across the apartment's windows. Unconfirmed reports also stated that the young woman forced the children to drink windshield wiper fluid.

Bamenga's boyfriend and the children's father, a rookie police officer with the NYPD, would return home from his patrol duties to the active crime scene. Trevor Noel was spotted driving away from the grisly scene the next day.

The following Saturday Bamenga was charged with two counts of first- degree murder in the death's of her children.

A neighbor to the family who declined to be identified, stated, "I never knew those people so I don't know anything about them." The woman added, "When I opened the door for the firemen my home filled up with gas... and they actually told us to close the door."   

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Crime on the rise

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Crime on the rise: Wakefield Area News By Mary V. Lauro BRONX, NEW YORK, July 9- There is no doubt that crime is on the rise throughout the City.  From ...

Crime on the rise

Wakefield Area News

By Mary V. Lauro

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 9- There is no doubt that crime is on the rise throughout the City. 

From January 1, 2012 to June 31, 2012, crime throughout the City rose 4.31 percent. In the Bronx it rose 2.67 percent. But don't let those figures fool you. They are averages. Some areas have seen more of a rise than other areas. For example, the 47th Precinct saw a rise of 6.44 percent. That means that so far this year, it is not the contender for the most crime ridden. To date, Comp Stat figures show it at 959 felony crimes running fourth behind the 43rd, 44th and 52nd Precincts.

By the same token, all areas of the 47th Precinct do not have the same crime rate. Of the 11 sections into which the 47th is broken, the safest and least crime ridden is the Woodlawn community which has only three percent of the crime. Compare that with our own Wakefield which has 13 percent, making it the second highest crime section in the 47th. Keep in mind that if crime were equally spread throughout the precinct, all sections would have 9 percent of the crime

With sarcasm we note that so far, we have lost our title to the highest number of homicides. That distinction goes to the 48th which had 8. The 47th had 7. We were, however, the highest in rapes at 19. The 46th trailed us at 16. The 43rd beat us at robbery. It had 255. We had 230. In felonious assault the 43rd also beat us at 248, but we were close behind at 236. But in burglary, we beat them all at 511.We also get the title for the most auto thefts at 111.

The largest drop in crime was achieved by the 40th Precinct which fell by 10.12 percent. The 45th also did well at a drop of 6.61 percent. By contrast, the 47th went up by 6.44 percent.

We never cease to wonder at the 50th Precinct which always has the lowest crime rate, but continues to fall. The 50th includes Riverdale which, as everyone knows, is not a poverty area. One wonders whether its success ties in an overabundance of police presence in its streets. We suggest strolling through Riverdale noting how many patrol cars one meets. Then stroll through Wakefield to note the same thing. But don't hold your breath.

The NYPD loves to include in its Comp Stat figures changes that have occurred 2 years ago as well as 11 and 19 years ago. No matter how much crime rises, it insists that we look at how much more improved crime rates are from the height of the crime wave back in 1993. That is silly. That crime rate was the result of foolishness on the part of the NYPD. We expect it to be more efficient than it was then.

We note however statistics for the 2-year difference which add proof to the increase in crime throughout the City. These past two years the City rose in crime by 4.31 percent, the Bronx by 1.98 percent. Note the, rise in the 47th Precinct was substantially higher at 9.23 percent!

All of this is not to be construed as a criticism of the officers or commanders in our 47th Precinct. We can only praise them for the job they do with their limited resources. It is to be construed as an indictment of the manner by which the NYPD assigns officers. Last April we were overjoyed that Commissioner Kelly sent 43 officers to the 47th which it sorely needed. Less than a month later, 25 were removed!

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Gunman Sought in Fordham Stick-up

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 6- Police have released a surveillance photo of a suspect wanted in connection with an armed robbery that took place in the Fordham Section in March.

According to the flyer, the gunman entered the Marion Taylor Tattoo parlor, located at 2433 Jerome Avenue, at 3:30 p.m., on March 21. The suspect fled with an undetermined amount of cash and no injuries were reported.

Detectives from the 52nd Precinct continue to hunt for this individual, described as a male white or Hispanic, 30-years of age, 5 foot 7 in height and weighing 160-pounds and wearing a black cap.

Anyone with any information on this individual is asked to call the 52nd Precinct's detective squad at (718) 220-5836.  

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Burglary Suspect Sought in Norwood

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Burglary Suspect Sought in Norwood: By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, July 6- Police have released two surveillance photos of a man wanted in connection with a burgla...

Burglary Suspect Sought in Norwood

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 6- Police have released two surveillance photos of a man wanted in connection with a burglary in Norwood.

The suspect is wanted for breaking into an apartment at 20 E. Mosholu Parkway North, back on May 7.

The suspect is described as a male Black or Hispanic, approximately 25-years of age, 5 foot 8 tall and weighing 200-pounds.

The photos show the man wearing overalls and a white t-shirt underneath. In one photo he is wearing a baseball cap and in a second photo the suspect is wearing the cap backwards.

Anyone with any information on his identity is asked to call the 52nd Precinct detective squad at (718) 220-5836.