Photo: Investigators on Tuesday afternoon combed London Planetree Playground for evidence after a 16-year-old boy was stabbed in the park. Forum Photo by Robert Stridiron.
A 16-year-old boy on Tuesday was stabbed twice in the abdomen during a gang altercation in an Ozone Park playground, according to police and witness accounts.
The victim, whose name is being withheld due to his status as a minor, was attacked around noon inside London Planetree Playground on 89th Street near Atlantic Avenue. After he was wounded, the boy ran roughly three blocks to a Burger King restaurant on Atlantic and 92nd Street where he was treated by first responders and then rushed to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.
Cops on Tuesday evening called the injuries “non fatal” and indicated that the victim is expected to make a full recovery.
“The park is on our radar,” said Lt. Courtney Nilan, Special Operations coordinator for the 102nd Precinct. “Groups of youth are getting into fights with each other. Usually it doesn’t escalate, but today it did.”
Nilan went on to say that they will be “beefing up police presence in the park,” but not because of the stabbing.
Intelligence Division investigators are working the case, which Nilan said involves more than 12 suspects.
“We do have some good leads already,” she said.
By Michael V. Cusenza michael@theforumnewsgroup.com
