Fatal Stabbing Earlier This Month Occurred Just Blocks Away From Campus

Earlier this month a McDonald’s employee, located on Broadway between 237th and 236th Streets, was stabbed to death. The murder happened one block away from the 50th Precinct Police Station and two blocks away from Manhattan College’s Leo Engineering Building.

On Jan, 4, around 4:30 a.m., a homeless man was said to be lingering at the restaurant when a McDonald’s worker approached him and their interaction escalated.

The worker, 28-year-old Adam Garcia, told the man to leave the restaurant and followed him out into the parking lot. The confrontation turned violent and Garcia was stabbed repeatedly in the torso.

Garcia was pronounced dead at the New York Presbyterian Hospital/ Allen Pavilion around 5 a.m.

The McDonald’s frequently used by students located on 5675 Broadway. Vanessa Sanchez/The Quadrangle
The McDonald’s frequently used by students located on 5675 Broadway. Vanessa Sanchez/The Quadrangle

“I first learned of this incident from local news reports and then communicated with the 50th Precinct,” Juan Cerezo, director of public safety, said in an emailed statement.

On Jan. 8, Public Safety sent an email to the MC community about this event, stating that the suspect had been arrested and charged.

Public Safety described the email as, “a follow up to the alert sent earlier this week”. This email however was the first and only notice sent out to students, faculty and staff.

This homicide came two months after MC announced that the restaurant chain agreed to accept off campus dining dollars at its location of 5675 Broadway.

With two murders last year, the 50th Precinct reports that murder rates have decreased by 75% between the years 1990 and 2015.

“Even though this incident happened off campus, we still want to remind our students to be aware of their surroundings when off campus and travel in groups whenever possible,” Cerezo said.