Family of man randomly stabbed to death in NYC: 'I hope he rots in jail'
NEW YORK - Thirty-six-year-old Angel Landi was like a father to his nephew, but his life ended abruptly when he was randomly stabbed to death in a 51-year-old man's senseless Manhattan killing spree.
FOX 5 NY's Lisa Evers spoke with the family of Landi, a father and construction worker from the Bronx.
Landi's sister Berta described him as a "hardworking" single father from Ecuador who had taken in his nephew after his sister’s passing, raising him as his own.
"I want justice for my brother," Berta said. "He died on the job."
Angel Landi's sister hold photo of him.
Landi's 16-year-old nephew, who was raised by him after his mother's death and called him "Dad," also spoke to FOX 5 NY, expressing his anger: "I hope he rots in jail and never gets out."
Ramon Rivera, believed to be homeless, has a criminal record spanning three states, and had been arrested for grand larceny just last month. Despite his violent past, Rivera had been out on the streets, highlighting systemic issues in preventing such tragedies.
"I don't understand why, if he had felonies on him, and he had more than eight charges, why they would still let him go out," Landi's son said.
He was also critical of NYC Mayor Eric Adams' response to the arrest: "I understand the point of view that he's coming from but if you're running the city, then you should be responsible for it. You're the one that said you were going to protect these streets and help other people and so far, I haven't seen anything done."
What happened in the NYC stabbing spree?
Surveillance footage shows Rivera putting on gloves and pulling a knife from his backpack shortly before the attacks. Police say the gloves seen in the footage match those found at one of the crime scenes, along with two knives.
The violent spree began around 8:30 a.m. near West 19th Street and 8th Avenue where Rivera allegedly stabbed a construction worker, Angel Lata Landi, 36, in the abdomen. He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital but did not survive.
Nearly two hours later, police say Rivera struck again on East 30th Street near the FDR Drive, attacking 67-year-old Chang Wang of Manhattan, who was fishing along the East River. Wang also succumbed to his injuries.
Just 30 minutes after that, Rivera allegedly stabbed a 36-year-old woman, Augustin Wilma, multiple times on 42nd Street and First Avenue. She was pronounced dead at Cornell Medical Center.