A teenager has been charged with the fatal stabbing of a boy while more than 50 other teens looked on and filmed the incident on their phones.
The victim, 16-year-old Khaseen Morris, was stabbed in the chest after a fight broke out at approximately 3:45pm on Monday afternoon (September 16) outside a bagel shop in Oceanside, New York.
According to police, around 50 other teenagers witnessed or were involved in the fight, but the majority of them took videos of the victim dying rather than helping to save his life.
As reported by WABC, police have confirmed the arrest of 18-year-old Tyler Flach, from Lido Beach, who has been charged with murder.
The brawl, which is believed to have started over a girl, broke out at an Oceanside strip mall. Khaseen, who was a student at nearby Oceanside High School, was stabbed in the chest at some point during the fight.
The 16-year-old was taken to hospital but died shortly afterwards with police confirming the incident appeared to be targetted towards the teenager as he had previously received threatening texts.
At a press conference, Detective Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick of the Nassau County Police Department criticised those who stood by and filmed as Khaseen lay dying on the street, while urging them to come forward with the footage.
The detective said, as per ABC News:
Kids stood here and didn’t help Khaseen. They’d rather video this event… They videoed his death instead of helping. So anyone who has video, come forward. Do the right thing for Khaseen.
Detective Fitzpatrick went on to say that, while they had ‘a handful of kids’ who have so far come forward and identified the people involved, they need more witnesses to do so.
He also said he doesn’t believe any of the ’50, 60, 70 kids’ involved are ‘naive’ to who is responsible for Khaseen’s death, adding: ‘I think all the players are known to each other’.
Footage of the attack, which is now being used as part of the investigation, circulated on social media in the aftermath of the stabbing. Tragically, Khaseen’s family also saw the video, with his sister Keyanna Morris telling WABC: ‘He was a person that would help anyone, and no one helped him’.
Tragically, the 16-year-old had just told his mum this was the first time in a long while he’s been ‘so happy,’ because he’d finally found a school where he could be himself without anyone judging him.
Khaseen’s loved ones gathered at the scene of the attack yesterday (September 18) and lit candles for the teenager. ‘He was the light, the energy of his whole family,’ Keyanna added.
Flach will be arraigned today (September 19) on a second-degree murder charge in First District Court in Hempstead, the New York Post reports.
Our thoughts are with Khaseen’s loved ones at this difficult time.
Rest in peace, Khaseen.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.
A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).