Police: Man Killed Inside Manhattan Homeless Shelter, Roommate Sought
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A man was found slain at a Manhattan homeless shelter Friday morning, police said.
At around 8:20 a.m., the 56-year-old victim's body was found with injuries to his neck in a third-floor bedroom at the Bellevue Men's Shelter on East 30th Street at First Avenue, CBS2's Steve Langford reported.
The victim checked into the shelter Thursday. His body was found with a thin wire around his neck.
"The room appeared to be in disarray, as if a struggled ensued," said William Aubry, NYPD chief of Manhattan detectives.
A police source told CBS2 that a roommate, now missing, is a possible suspect. The man was seen washing blood off his hands in a shared bathroom down the hall.
"Our hearts go out to the family of the victim here," said said Steven Banks, commissioner of the Human Resources Administration.
The city's homeless shelters have become a flashpoint for urban dread in recent months. Former teacher Deven Black was killed in an East Harlem shelter in January. Police say there have also been two felony assault at the Bellevue shelter this year.
Earlier this week, the city announced the results of a review to improve shelter services, including better security. It also has increased spending to make city shelters safer.
"The NYPD is conducting a review of all security so that we can upgrade security in the city's shelter system," Banks said.
The Department of Homeless Services said that at the time of the killing that there was one surpervisor, five DHS peace officers and 18 private contract security guards.
Current residents there wonder why they call it a shelter.
"You could be sleeping next to a crackhead, next to murderer. Who knows?" said Matthew Simond.
"This is supposed to be somewhere where we're supposed to come get help and feel safe," said Ruben Wells.