A 19-year-old Brooklyn man was found stabbed to death on the roof of a garage in Jackson Heights, Queens, Thursday evening, August 14, after fleeing his attacker, according to police.
Jayson Fernandez was discovered around 6:15 p.m. near 93rd Street and 37th Avenue with a stab wound to his abdomen, authorities reported. Officers responding to a 911 call for an assault in progress found Fernandez unconscious and bleeding on the roof of a detached garage behind a residential property.
According to law enforcement sources, Fernandez got into a fight with a male attacker wearing a hooded sweatshirt before being stabbed. After sustaining the abdominal wound, Fernandez climbed onto the roof of the garage structure where he was later discovered by responding officers.
Emergency medical services rushed Fernandez to Elmhurst Hospital in critical condition, where he was later pronounced dead. The victim was identified as a resident of Belmont Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn, approximately 10 miles from where the stabbing occurred.
Police sources indicated that officers found a pool of blood on the street and followed a blood trail to the back garage where Fernandez was located. The attack took place outside the residential property at 35-21 93rd Street, with the victim subsequently seeking refuge on the roof structure.
Investigators from the 115th Precinct are examining surveillance footage from the area to help identify the suspect. No arrests have been made, and police have not released a description of the attacker who remains at large.
Law enforcement sources told reporters that the area where the stabbing occurred is known for drug activity. They also indicated that Fernandez was believed to be associated with the Trinitarios, a Dominican American gang founded in New York City, though investigators are still examining possible gang connections to the stabbing.
Police records show Fernandez had only one prior arrest for turnstile jumping. Authorities have not determined whether the property where the attack took place belonged to the victim or the suspect, and the motive for the stabbing remains unclear.
Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas addressed the killing in a statement, calling the stabbing death a heart-wrenching tragedy. González-Rojas indicated that “yesterday’s stabbing death of 19-year-old Jason Fernandez in Jackson Heights is a heart-wrenching tragedy.” She expressed condolences to the affected families and emphasized the need for systemic change to address community violence.
The Assembly Member attributed the violence to inadequate access to healthcare resources, employment opportunities, housing, and education. She advocated for increased youth programs, community resources, and violence prevention efforts as solutions to address root causes of violence in the area.
González-Rojas also criticized federal policies, stating that increased federal agent presence and administrative threats have normalized fear and brutality in neighborhoods across the country. She called for immediate action to correct what she described as an imbalance affecting communities.
Crime statistics from the 115th Precinct show four murders reported through August 10, 2025, compared to two at the same point in 2024, representing a 100 percent increase according to CompStat data. Local residents expressed that crime in the Jackson Heights area is not surprising, with one neighbor noting that violence regularly occurs in the neighborhood.
The New York Police Department continues investigating the homicide and has asked anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website or via social media platforms, with all communications remaining confidential.
Detectives are working to establish a timeline of events leading up to the stabbing and determine whether the attack was random or targeted. The investigation includes examining potential connections between the victim and suspect, as well as any gang-related motives that may have contributed to the violence.
