Twins stabbed, 1 fatally, in Brooklyn deli after refusing man's advances, sources say
NEW YORK - Police are searching for two men after a 19-year-old was stabbed to death and her twin sister was wounded early Sunday morning at a deli in Brooklyn.
Investigators say a man made unwanted advances at the sisters inside the deli on Fourth Avenue and St. Marks Place in Park Slope.
When they refused, the man fatally stabbed 19-year-old Samyia Spain in the chest. Her surviving twin sister was also stabbed in the arm.
"She was a good person. She didn't deserve this," the victim's godmother told CBS New York. "Her birthday is coming, too."
Community members paid their respects Monday morning at a growing memorial outside the building where the twins live.
"She was in the community. She did have a lot of friends, and so forth. She was a happy-go-lucky girl, a normal teenager. I'm sad that this happened to her," neighbor Frances Angel said.
Daniel Sanabria, a community leader and youth pastor, also came by to express his condolences. Although he didn't know the sisters personally, he shared a message for the surviving twin.
"This is tragedy for her family, tragedy for her. It's going to be a long time as she's healing in this process," he said. "People have to surround her and her family and support her."
The attack happened right outside the Natural Plus deli. A witness said the two men involved were intoxicated and ran off after stabbing the girls.
"It's horrible. It's sad. It's very sad," Park Slope resident Miriam Ortiz said.
The deli reopened Monday but was closed most of Sunday, while investigators worked to piece together what happened.
Police are still searching for the two men they believe to be responsible.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.