A 16-year-old died after being stabbed during a street fight in New York on earlier in the month.
Close to 50 other teens witnessed the fight, according to police, but instead of helping – stood by and filmed the incident — posting it to social media.
Khaseen Morris, the victim, died in the hospital after suffering stab wounds.
Detective Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick of the Nassau County Police Department told reporters in a press conference the following:
“They videoed his death instead of helping him. This can’t go on. Your friends are dying while you stand there and video it. That’s egregious.”
And when speaking about the number of people who appear to be in the video, Fitzpatrick added:
“There’s got to be about 50, 60, 70 kids here. We have a handful of kids that have come forward and have identified subjects involved in this. There is definitely more.”
He added any witnesses should come forward as soon as possible, saying “after I put handcuffs on you is not going to be the time.”
Authorities have yet to make any arrests, but Fitzpatrick said they have persons of interest they are looking into and believe the incident to be a targeted attack. The fight alleged broke out over a girl.
Kedeemah Morris, Khaseen’s older sister, shared with the New York Times she believed the fight happened after a 10th-grade girl asked Khaseen to walk her home — which she suspected was intended to make an ex-boyfriend jealous.
Kadeemah also alleged her brother had been threatened by the ex-boyfriend.
“My brother, he shrugged stuff like that off. He told the boy he didn’t want his girlfriend, it was nothing like that, he just walked her home. The boy said he didn’t care,” she said.
Kadeemah said her brother was a “sweet,” and “funny” boy who said he was “friends with everyone.”
An eyewitness, who wished to remain anonymous, saw the tragic event unfold, saying Khaseen was ‘ambushed’.
They shared with ABC7:
“There was a bunch of people sitting by the Chinese restaurant… about 15 kids, and then all of a sudden while I was on the phone speaking – eight, seven or eight kids came from the north and targeted certain people that I believe they were looking for.”
Detective Fitzpatrick relayed how police are now searching for six to seven different assailants, each reportedly from different schools and how he believes “all players are known to each other.”