Man Charged With Murder As Hate Crime In Queens Stabbing
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A 22-year-old man has been charged with a hate crime following a fatal stabbing in Queens.
Steven Torres, of the Bronx, has been charged with second-degree murder as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the death of 69-year-old Ever Orozco.
The incident happened under the elevated 7 train tracks at Elmhurst Avenue and Roosevelt Avenue around 1:30 p.m. Monday, WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported.
"The guy didn't even make it into the ambulance," a witness told CBS 2's Steve Langford.
Police said Torres confessed after claiming the victim was blowing kisses and making sexual advances. But authorities said there is no evidence to support those claims, Langford reported.
"My husband was a very happy person, very nice with everybody, he has no problem with anybody," Alba Orozco told Langford.
The new widow said her husband had dropped her off for a doctor's appointment a few minutes before the fatal attack.
She said her doctor and other physicians rushed out to help someone in the street and when they returned, she learned the stabbing victim was her husband.
"Seven. Seven times," Orozco told Langford.
Witnesses chased Torres and police arrested him about six blocks away. Orozco was pronounced dead at Elmhurst Hospital.
Police said Torres is also facing charges in connection with the stabbing of a 47-year-old man on Stanton Street in Manhattan last week. The victim suffered a non-life threatening injury to his arm.
Police said in both cases, Torres thought his victims were making sexual advances toward him, 1010 WINS reported.
Torres is awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court after being hospitalized for a psychiatric evaluation, prosecutors said.
There have been numerous anti-gay attacks in the city in recent months, including the shooting death of 32-year-old Mark Carson in Greenwich Village in May.
Police said he Carson was taunted for being gay before he was shot in the face.
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