A Bronx family is demanding justice after the tragic fatal stabbing of 27-year-old Michael Hernandez Jr. in Brooklyn last week. On Tuesday, loved ones gathered for a candlelight vigil, remembering him as a kind and loving soul while calling for answers.
A Mother’s Agonizing Plea for Justice
“I’m not OK because you took him from me!” cried Marisol Miranda, Hernandez’s grieving mother. “He died at the hands of these teenagers, and they need to do better! I want justice! I want my voice to be heard everywhere.”
Authorities say Hernandez was stabbed multiple times in the abdomen around 9 p.m. on Friday near Barclays Center in Downtown Brooklyn. According to investigators, a large group had assembled outside the Atlantic Terminal Mall just before the attack. Witnesses reported several people fleeing the scene following the brutal stabbing.
Ongoing Investigation and Suspect Search
Sources revealed that police are currently searching for six to eight individuals believed to be involved in the attack. However, no further details about the suspects have been disclosed.
Miranda shared her belief that her son was first assaulted before being followed and fatally stabbed. “I was told my kid was beaten,” she said. “After he was beaten, they followed him to stab him—to kill him.”
Hernandez, who had been living in a shelter near Barclays Center, struggled with mental health challenges and addiction. Despite his hardships, his family emphasized that he was working to turn his life around.
A Community in Mourning
Family and friends remembered Hernandez as a caring and humorous person. “That was my brother, my heart, my world, my mother’s world—our world,” said his sister, Amber Hernandez.
As loved ones released balloons into the night sky, they held onto their hope for closure. His uncle, Alvaro Hernandez, directed his anguish toward the attackers: “Whoever you are, you took him from us. You took a family member that didn’t deserve this.”
Miranda echoed her plea once more: “I want justice. I want them to turn themselves in.”
As of Tuesday night, police confirmed that no arrests had been made. Authorities urge anyone with information to come forward.
