Feuding groups of migrants at the Randall’s Island shelter in Manhattan engaged in a brawl on Friday night after a stabbing incident. The fight involved around half a dozen migrants from Africa and South America. The altercation began after a 25-year-old African migrant was stabbed in the left shoulder by a member of a rival group. The injured man was taken to Harlem Hospital in stable condition. Police needed to send extra officers to the shelter due to the large, disorderly group involved in the fight.
Brothers Josue and Moises Delon, aged 19 and 27, respectively, were arrested and charged with assault in connection to the stabbing incident. Another 18-year-old was also detained for involvement in the brawl and was given a summons for disorderly conduct before being released. The fight that took place on Friday was a result of ongoing tensions between the two groups of migrants. The Randall’s Island shelter has a history of such incidents, with previous fights leading to arrests of individuals for assault and injuries to asylum seekers and security guards.
The shelter was set up in August to manage the influx of migrants in the city, and violence has been a recurring issue at the location. In April, five men were charged with assault after a fight resulted in one asylum seeker getting stabbed and four security guards being injured while trying to intervene. In the same month, a migrant attacked and bit a security guard during a dispute with his wife. Another fatal stabbing occurred at the shelter in January when one migrant attacked another asylum-seeker for speaking to his girlfriend.
The recent brawl at the Randall’s Island shelter highlights the ongoing tensions between migrant groups residing there. The clashes have led to arrests, injuries, and even fatalities due to the volatile situation at the shelter. Additional police presence has been required to handle such incidents, reflecting the challenges of managing a large number of migrants in a temporary shelter setting. The need for improved security measures and conflict resolution strategies is evident to prevent further violence and ensure the safety of asylum seekers and staff at the shelter.
