Social worker fatally stabbed outside Brooklyn homeless shelter, police sources say
NEW YORK — A social worker was fatally stabbed outside a Brooklyn homeless shelter Thursday night, sources tell CBS News New York.
The Department of Homeless Services said it happened just after 6 p.m. outside the lobby of a shelter on East New York Avenue in Brownsville.
Police have identified the victim as 35-year-old Robbie Miller and say he was found with stab wounds to his neck and abdomen. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
"This is an absolutely horrific tragedy and a tremendous loss to the Department of Homeless Services. Our hearts go out to [the victim's] family, friends, and colleagues, and we stand ready to support them every which way we can during this incredibly difficult time. Our not-for-profit providers' frontline staff step up every day to support vulnerable New Yorkers and we are grateful for [his] service. Even though this incident took place outside of the shelter premises, we are working closely with the authorities to support the investigation and ensure the perpetrator is swiftly brought to justice," the Department of Homeless Services said in a statement.
No arrests have been made.
Sources tell CBS News New York the attack appears to have been random and that the male attacker was around 6 feet tall and wearing all black.
A bodega down the block from the shelter has security cameras outside. They did not capture the attack, but they did catch a man that fits the police description running by around the time of the attack. The bodega's owners say police were focused on that man when they watched the video.
Anyone with any information 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.
Neighbors remember victim, voice safety concerns about shelter
Neighbors described the victim as a friendly person to talk to.
"Always pleasant. Always good to people," one person said. "He liked sports, so we'd talk sports."
"He was a really excellent, wonderful guy," Saj Ahmed said.
Ahmed says he spoke to the victim frequently, and he was often tasked with keeping the peace outside the shelter.
"Sometimes, they have a fight, even I faced personally many times. Like, a couple of crazy guys threatening me, like, 'Hey, I'm going to kill you,'" Ahmed said.
The former Days Inn was converted into a shelter just over a year ago. The lobby of the shelter has a TSA-style metal detector for entry. People who live in the area say it doesn't protect the shelter employees who work in the lobby.
"There's no real security to protect the workers. Because this is about serving the community, but it's also about protecting the workers," one man said.
Ahmed said he has watched the neighborhood deteriorate over the last year.
"It's not as safe. I believe that," he said.
Terrance Clark, who lives nearby, said he "always" notices issues outside the shelter.
"At this shelter, the shelter around the corner ... All hot spots," he said.
NYPD data shows so far this year robberies and assaults have ticked down in the 73rd precinct, but murders are up 157% – 18 murders, not Miller's murder, in 2024 compared to seven in 2023.
