In an unfortunate incident yesterday morning, 26-year-old Rodney Johnson was arrested on the charge of fatally stabbing his younger sister. The crime took place in the family’s home located in the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan. Johnson, who has a known history of violating restraining orders, was immediately apprehended by the police at the scene.
The victim, Shayla Johnson, aged 20, was found brutally attacked at 8 a.m. Wednesday at NYCHA’s Lincoln Houses on Madison Ave near E. 131st St., as per NYPD. The attack was so severe that she had to be immediately rushed to the hospital.
Shayla was stabbed in the neck and chest, resulting in her being transported by paramedics to NYC Health and Hospitals/Harlem. Unfortunately, she could not survive the ordeal and was declared dead upon arrival, according to a report by amNY.com.
Rodney Johnson, the suspect, has an extensive criminal record with numerous arrests, mostly for criminal contempt. In fact, one of his previous arrests was for violating a restraining order that was meant to protect Shayla, his sister, back in August 2019. This information comes as per a reference from the Daily News.
The details regarding the motive behind the gruesome attack remain unclear. It is also unknown whether there were other residents in the house during the incident. It should be noted that all the charges levied are mere accusations as of now, and the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
This isn’t the first case of such violence between family members. In June, another shocking incident occurred when an emotionally disturbed teenager was arrested on suspicion of stabbing his father to death. The incident took place at their home in Queens, NYC, shortly after the police had responded to a 911 call.
In May, another 26-year-old was suspected and arrested for the murder of his father in Ulster County, New York. Furthermore, a man aged 44 from Long Island, NY, was arrested on suspicion of stabbing his elderly mother and younger sister.
Another similar case happened in December, where a 22-year-old trans woman named Nikki Secondino was arrested. Secondino confessed to stabbing her father to death and seriously injuring her younger sister and herself. This was all part of a plan to stage a violent robbery at their home in Brooklyn, NYC.
Seek Help
If you or someone you know is in need of help, don’t hesitate to reach out. Call 988 or 1.888.NYCWELL(1.888.692.9355), or text “WELL” to 65173. You can also find more information at https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/es/ and www.988lineadevida.org.