The family of a murdered teenage girl has lashed out at an official who they say is blaming the slain woman for her own brutal death.
The family of a teen murder victim has lashed out over claims she was responsible for her own death because she was allegedly buying drugs when she was killed.
Tessa Majors, 18, was found dead just outside Morningside Park in New York City on Wednesday afternoon. Her body was bloodied from stab wounds to her face, neck and arms, according to authorities and sources.
On Sunday, NYPD's Sergeants Benevolent Association president Ed Mullins told radio host John Catsimatidis on his AM 970 show The Cats Roundtable that "we have a common denominator: marijuana", referring to Ms Majors and one of her alleged killers.
Ms Majors' family released a statement in response to Mr Mullins' comments.
"The remarks by Sergeants Benevolent Association president Ed Mullins we find deeply inappropriate, as they intentionally or unintentionally direct blame onto Tess, a young woman, for her own murder," it read.
"We would ask Mr. Mullins not to engage in such irresponsible public speculation, just as the NYPD asked our family not to comment as it conducts the investigation," they continued.
"Our family is interested in knowing what exactly happened to Tess and who committed her murder. We believe, for the immediate safety of the community and the surrounding schools, that should be everyone's top priority, and we are grateful to the men and women of the NYPD for all of their efforts.'
Mayor Bill de Blasio also assailed Mr Mullins for his "heartless" claim.
"We don't shame victims in this city," he tweeted on Sunday in response to Mr Mullins' remarks. "Think Of Tessa's parents, her friends. This is heartless. It's infuriating."
Ms Majors' family added in their statement: "Our family would like to thank the thousands of strangers who have taken the time to console us, share in our grief, and let us know we are not alone during this terrible time. Tess would not have been surprised by this beautiful reminder of our shared humanity."
Ms Majors, a Barnard College freshman, was the victim of what appears to be a robbery gone wrong when she was allegedly set upon by the youths at the base of stairs in the park.
Investigators found a trail of blood, indicating that Ms Majors had tried to make her way back up the park stairs towards Morningside Drive, police sources said.
Preliminary information suggested that Ms Majors was stabbed several times in the face, neck and under her arm.
The New York Post reports Ms Majors was in the park to buy marijuana when she was attacked.
A 13-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with her death.
The teen was arrested after being spotted trespassing in a building a day after the attack wearing clothes that matched the description of one of the alleged offenders, CBS News reports.
In a children's court, gruesome new details of the attack were detailed.
The New York Times reports the murder suspect walked into the courtroom on Friday wearing black sweatpants, Air Jordan sneakers and a navy hoodie.
The teen was murdered in New York. Photo / Instagram
He nervously bit his bottom lip as a court officer asked his name, then his age. "I'm 13," he replied.
Detective Vincent Signoretti gave evidence that the 13-year-old boy said his two friends grabbed Ms Majors, put her in a chokehold and robbed her.
The detective gave evidence that the teen said he did not stab Ms Majors – the boy watched his friend slash her with a knife and saw feathers flying out from her coat's stuffing.
The boy, whose name has not been made public, is among just a handful of people in their early teens to be charged with murder in the city in recent years. He will be tried as a juvenile delinquent in family court.
The teen's lawyer, Hannah Kaplan of the Legal Aid Society, said police didn't have evidence beyond the statement from her client, who she said hadn't been arrested before.
"There is no allegation my client touched the complainant in this case," Ms Kaplan said.
"He was merely present when this took place."
The attackers are all believed to attend a middle school near the park, police have said.
Investigators recovered a knife on Thursday but were not certain whether it was connected to Ms Majors' death.
Police have since increased patrols around the park and campus, which is part of the Ivy League's Columbia University.
Mayor Bill de Blasio told WNYC Radio that he was "absolutely confident that any individuals involved in this terrible, heinous attack will be brought to justice and will be brought to justice quickly".
Under state law, the teen can only be tried as an adult if he is charged with intentional murder.
Ms Majors was killed just as the semester at all-women's Barnard College was winding down, with final exams set to begin last Friday followed by a month break.
She sang and played bass guitar in the rock band Patient 0.
After her first New York show in October, Ms Majors wrote on Instagram: "Safe to say the first NYC show went well ;)."
Her Instagram account also offered glimpses into Ms Majors' personality and her move from Virginia to the big city, from farewells to the "ville" to posts about college life.
Her father, Inman Majors, is the author of six novels and an English professor at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
"We are thankful for the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from across the country," a family statement said. "We would also like to express our appreciation for the efforts of the men and women of the NYPD who continue to work diligently on this case."
