17-Year-Old Charged With Murder In Deadly Stabbing Of High School Soccer Star Joaquin Salazar
PEEKSKILL, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A 17-year-old is facing murder charges in the stabbing death of high school soccer star Joaquin Salazar in Westchester County.
Police said the suspect was arraigned Monday on second-degree murder and first-degree assault charges.
Salazar, 18, was stabbed to death Saturday after an altercation at Charles Point Park in Peekskill.
Police said another young man was stabbed, and the suspect was also injured.
BREAKING - teenager arrested in Saturday stabbing death of 18yo Joaquin Salazar in Peekskill pic.twitter.com/8SOTd6lMjI
— Tony Aiello (@AielloTV) December 1, 2020
As CBS2's Tony Aiello reported, Salazar was a gifted soccer player at Peekskill High, who just last year was a contender for the Journal News player of the week award.
"Cared about everyone. Selfless. He would always put his friends and family first, before anything," his cousin Sofia Santucci told Aiello.
His tight-knit family, with roots in Uruguay and Peru, was understandably distraught after losing their only son.
"Joaquin was a soccer star, upcoming, overall great player, great person, great kid. He had a bright future. This is not right," Salazar's uncle Marcello Santucci added.
A Facebook campaign aims to help Salazar's family with funeral expenses.