West New York PD’s Antolos: Victim ‘covered in blood’ after being stabbed

A 20-year-old man was stabbed inside of a West New York Housing Authority building Friday night, leaving him “covered in blood,” claiming he didn’t know who assaulted him, according to Police Director Robert Antolos.

On October 2, around 6:42 p.m, a fight broke out on the third floor of 515 54th St., where units discovered a 20-year-old victim “covered in blood,” exclaiming that he was assaulted by two males who he does not know and does not know why they attacked him, Antolos told Hudson County View.

We first reported on the initial details of the stabbing on Saturday afternoon.

Numerous residents said the fight started on the second floor, in apartment 2d, and the brawl spilled into the hallway and then somehow ended up on the third floor, the police director explained.

After multiple knocks at the door of apartment 2d, it was opened and police entered to find Cilia Lecea, 22, sitting on the living room couch with an elderly male. In plain view, officers saw a blue baseball cap with blood on it, authorities said.

Upon further investigation, marijuana was discovered and traced back to Lecea – although it was unclear exactly who lived in the apartment as a third party was also questioned at the scene – officials said.

Lecea was charged with possession of marijuana over 50 grams, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute within 500 feet of public housing, authorities said.

During a search of the building, another baseball cap was recovered in the hallway near the elevator, while a knife was located in the stairwell, stated Antolos.

The 20-year-old victim said he didn’t see the parties who attacked him and, therefore, could not identify anybody. He sustained multiple puncture wounds to the head and after being transported to Jersey City Medical Center, against doctors orders, signed himself out of the facility without treatment, police said.

The victim claimed he was at the housing authority building to meet a girl, who he had not previously known, and declined to disclose any further information, authorities said.

During the time that officers had the building surrounded, two males jumped out the window: Anthony Sable, 27, and a 17-year-old juvenile, police said.

Sable claimed he went to the apartment to smoke weed, got scared when cops knocked on the door, so he jumped out the window. He was charged with possession of marijuana, Antolos said.

The juvenile, who provided a fake name to police, was wanted for aggravated assault and a probation violation, so he was arrested for the outstanding warrants – as well as for hindering arrest by giving a false name, officials said.

“So far, we’ve gotten no cooperation from the victim, obviously he and the attackers are known to each other,” Antolos concluded, adding that West New York police are in the process of reviewing surveillance footage of the premises.