Teenage Girl Stabbed to Death in New York

The mayor of Syracuse has said that children and families are "in crisis" in his upstate New York community following the killing of a second teenager in the city within days.

The comments by Ben Walsh follow the fatal stabbing of a 13-year-old girl which comes on the heels of the shooting of a 15-year-old boy by a teenage suspect on Friday.

In the latest incident, Syracuse police said officers had responded to a call at the 1200 block of West Onondaga Street at around 6 p.m. on Monday.

Det. George Hack said in a statement that the teenage girl had been stabbed during a "physical disturbance," Syracuse.com reported. She was taken to Upstate University Hospital where she died and an investigation is now ongoing.

It comes only three days after the shooting death of Radames Francisco, a few blocks away in the 400 block of Shonnard Street, on Syracuse's Near West Side at around 10 p.m. on Friday.

Witnesses said they had heard at least six gunshots, while at around 11.30 p.m. police were seen forcing their way into a home after communicating with someone in the property using a bullhorn, Syracuse.com reported.

The scene was attended by Onondaga County Sheriff's Office deputies and New York state police officers.

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the killing and has been charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon, CNY Central reported. The outlet also reported that it was the ninth homicide in Syracuse so far in 2021.

In a media statement, Walsh expressed his concern at what had hit his community, saying: "We have lost two teenagers to acts of violence involving other teens. My prayers are with the victims and their families, as well as all of those touched by these tragedies."

"In Syracuse right now, we have children and families in crisis. They are living in constant trauma in circumstances made worse by the stress and disruption of the last year," he added.

He said that police were working with community partners to protect and support our youth and that teenagers needed to know they were "cared for" at home, places of worship, and at school.

"As a community, we need to give them refuge," he said, "we need to teach our children to value their own lives and the lives of others." He added: "We must and will do more."

Newsweek has contacted Syracuse Police and the office of Mayor Ben Walsh for comment.