Three teenagers who alerted the authorities of New York And they pointed to the Guatemalan Sebastián Zapeta of allegedly burn a woman in the subway they will not receive the reward of US $ 10,000 offered by the City Police Department.
The reason: they called the 911 instead of the line of Crime Stoppers.
Teenagers, identified as Christmas, Kingson and Christosthey claimed to have seen the suspect Sebastián Zapeta on a train and recognized him thanks to a description they had seen, according to the New York Post.
According to the reports, the young people called 911, after which the police He stopped the train and arrested Zapeta.
The three teenagers, high school basketball players, claimed to have seen a “pyron” on a train destined for Queens, hours after Crime Stoppers He spread an alert about the incident with the face of the Guatemalan Zapeta, who supposedly We would have burned a woman until death.
Decision generates criticism
Although the New York Police Department offered a reward of US $ 10,000 for information that led to the suspect’s capture, the Fund administrators indicated that adolescents were not eligible because they did not call the line of Crime Stoppers.
The decision not to deliver the reward has unleashed criticism, since many argue that adolescents deserve it for their courage and rapid action.
Councilor Susan Zhuang said that “These teenagers deserve the reward” and? “Denying the money is wrong”according to local media.
A detective insisted that the police had nothing to do with the delivery of the incentive and sent the family with the partners of Crime Stopperswho offer cash for a “track that leads to arrest and accusation,” according to the New York medium.
What do the families of the three young people say?
The parents of adolescents have also expressed their disappointment and frustration before the decision.
Christos’ mother said that “union is strength” and plans to unite the three families to fight for the reward.
He explained that his family has a long history of activism and that he has worked hard to instill in his son a strong sense of civic ethics and duty. He said that young people who were willing to assume a potentially dangerous situation should be recognized.
Christmas’s father mentioned that he tried to obtain the sum shortly after his son and two friends made the call to 911 on December 22, 2024.
“It seems absurd to have to call that specific number. Most people call 911, ”he told The post.
“They didn’t do it for money, but it would be fair to receive it. It was an atrocious crime and this man was immediately captured thanks to his report, ”he added.
The founder of Guardian AngelsCurtis Sliwa, also criticized the decision and said that “technicalism is just a sample of bureaucratic hell that leaves the bienks of the Big Apple with empty hands.”
Also read: Zapeta, accused of burning a woman in a subway from New York, declares himself not guilty
“They have the suspect. That is what matters, not the number they called, ”he said.
Sliwa emphasized that “it is not too late” and urged city officials to fulfill their promise with the three young people, in addition to honoring them with a ceremony and delivering the keys of the city.
The New York medium also reported that the New York Police Foundation did not respond to a request for comments, but revealed that on previous occasions rewards have been granted to those who called 911 instead of A Crime Stoppersalthough they only received a part of the total amount.
According to the same medium, adolescents managed to recognize the suspect because moments before boarding the subway, Christmas Mother had shown them an article about the alleged incendiary attack that included Zapeta’s description.
Kingson, one of the three young people, said that after learning about the arrest, they realized that his track had helped locate the alleged murderer and that there was an available reward. However, the expectation vanished when they were notified that they would not receive it.
The teenager’s sister declared that she felt very proud of what the three had done and that, in her opinion, they had saved lives.
“They deserve it. He is such a good child, like others … they are very brave, ”he said.
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