New York police have released a 14-year-old questioned in connection to the fatal stabbing of a Barnard College freshman in a park near the school's Manhattan campus. CNN, citing law enforcement sources Thursday, said police could still charge the teenager, along with another teen.
Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison tweeted Thursday that the boy had been located, but gave no other details. He is one of three youths police believe were involved in the stabbing of 18-year-old Tessa Majors on Dec. 11 at Morningside Park in Upper Manhattan.
Detective Harrison said the teenager's attorneys "were present for the entire investigative process," the detective wrote in a tweet. Later Harrison tweeted that the boy had been released to his attorney's, and the investigation remains active. CNN, citing law enforcement sources, reported that NYPD detectives are working with prosecutors to gather information needed to charge both teenagers.
Earlier police called on the public, via Twitter, Thursday to help locate one of the teens. Chief Harrison said in the tweet, "this is an active and ongoing investigation."
A 13-year-old boy was arrested earlier this month in the stabbing.The teen was caught trespassing at the building on the day of the attack wearing clothes that matched a description of the suspect, according to CBS. Police arrested the suspect for criminal trespass and found a knife while searching him. It was unclear whether the knife was the one used in the attack.
Police say Majors was walking in Manhattan’s Morningside Park early Wednesday evening when she was accosted by an unknown number of people and stabbed. She then staggered to a nearby street, where she was spotted by a security guard who called 911.
In a letter distributed through the campus, Barnard's president Sian Leah Beilock called the incident "an unthinkable tragedy."
"Please know that we are all grieving together and I am thinking of you as we process this awful news as a community," she wrote.
Lee Bollinger, president of Columbia University, also addressed the student body.
"I personally and members of the University’s senior leadership are working closely with the NYPD and with Barnard to better understand the details of the attack and will keep you updated as we learn more," he wrote.
Barnard College is a private liberal arts college in New York City affiliated with Columbia University. It was founded in 1889 as a response to Columbia's refusal to admit women.