Harlem Community Forum To Discuss Morningside Park Safety

HARLEM, NY — A community forum to discuss the future of Morningside Park, its safety and issues facing young people living in the area will be held in Harlem this week, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer announced.

Residents are invited to the forum — set to be held at the Police Athletic League building at 441 Manhattan Avenue at 6:30 p.m. — to discuss the park with local political officials such as Brewer and local lawmakers at the federal, state and city levels. Organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem, Friends of Morningside Park and Street Corner Resources will also be in attendance.

Concerns with safety in the park were amplified by the December fatal stabbing of Barnard freshman Tessa Majors in the park. Majors was walking through the park when she was approached by a group of teenage muggers and held up at knifepoint, NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said in December. During the robbery, one of the muggers stabbed her repeatedly in the stomach, Harrison said.

Three minors have been taken in for questioning in the wake of Majors' death. One of the boys is facing charges of felony murder, weapons possession and robbery, but is not suspected to have stabbed Majors himself. The 13-year-old will be held in a juvenile detention facility until the beginning of his trial.

Officials from Columbia University and Barnard College will attend Wednesday's forum.

Brewer's goal for the forum is to bring community groups together to identify solutions for safety issues in the park and for larger issues facing Harlem's youth.