By SÍLE MOLONEY

 

POLICE CARRY OUT an investigation at the Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood on Tuesday night, Aug. 5, 2025, after 14-year-old Ángel Miguel Mendoza Hernández, 14, was fatally stabbed at the same location earlier that evening. 
Photo by Síle Moloney

The status of when and where security cameras will be installed in the Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood remains in limbo ten days after the fatal stabbing of 14-year-old Ángel Miguel Mendoza Hernández in the Oval on Aug. 5. As reported, State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33) wrote to NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez on Aug. 12 asking that funding for cameras, requested by NYC Parks and secured last year, be utilized to install the cameras as a matter of priority.

 

At the same time, as reported, last year, Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7) asked again for their longstanding budget item to install cameras in the Oval be addressed. It is still unclear which department, NYC Parks, the NYPD, or a combination of both is ultimately responsible for following up. Meanwhile, the need for cameras in the Oval was further evidenced on  Aug. 12, one week after the fatal stabbing took place, when in an apparent act of intimidation, as reported, a group of loud bikers interrupted a healing circle event in the Oval to help local youth process their trauma in the wake of the stabbing.

 

As reported, a 17-year-old male was also stabbed during the same brutal Aug. 5 gang assault. Police said he was reported to be in stable condition in hospital. They added that five people were initially arrested in connection with the incident and were charged with criminal possession of a weapon, four were later charged with murder and other charges, and two more are still sought. The defendants are deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law. For more on this, click here.

 

Prior to the Aug. 5 stabbing, as reported, in September 2024, Bronx CB7 Parks Chair Barbara Stronczer said to help curb crime, security cameras had been requested for St. James Park and Devoe Park in Fordham Manor, for Aqueduct Park in University Heights, for the Williamsbridge Oval in Norwood, and for Mosholu Playground in Bedford Park. The latter is located next to P.S. 8, the site of a non-fatal shooting in 2022.

 

In response to the request, Stronczer said NYC Parks informed her the department supported improved lighting in the parks but did not maintain or operate any type of security cameras, and that this would have to be handled by the police department. In light of that response, we asked CB7 if the camera request was forwarded to the NYPD at that point. We were informed that is was retained on CB7’s list of budget priorities with the hope that one of the local elected officials would fund the request.

 

When Norwood News separately contacted NYC Parks about camera installation in the Oval, we were also told, “NYPD is responsible for installing security camera systems. We recommend reaching out to them.” We did reach out both to the NYPD press office and the 52nd Precinct and as reported, the 52nd Precinct community affairs team said they didn’t believe cameras had been installed throughout the Oval, though they said there may be some at the Oval recreation center. They added that most cameras were at street level if there were any.

 

We didn’t receive any response from the NYPD press team on whether CB7’s request for cameras ever reached them or if it did, what the status was. For more on this, click here. We spoke to an NYC Parks employee at the Oval rec center on Friday, Aug. 15, and he confirmed there were no cameras at the rec center.

 

Meanwhile, in his Aug. 12th letter to NYC Parks, Rivera wrote in part, “My constituents deserve to feel safe when they visit our parks. That is why, last year, I was proud to award $162,000 to cover the costs associated with security cameras that would be monitored by the NYC Police Department, along with exercise bikes for the recreation center.”

 

He continued, “I am requesting that the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation prioritize the installation of security cameras at 3225 Reservoir Oval East, Bronx, NY 10467 [the address of the rec center] and provide a timeline to our community as to when they will be operational.”

 

We were informed by the senator’s office that to receive the State funding, NYC Parks submitted an application through a statewide program called CREST detailing how the funding would be used, and what it would cover.

LETTER DATED AUG. 12 from State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33) requesting NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez prioritize the installation of cameras in the Williamsbridge Oval in Norwood based on funding he secured for this purpose in 2024. 
Source: State Sen, Gustavo Rivera (S.D 33)

A representative from the senator’s office further advised that Rivera had agreed to fund security cameras across the Oval park and that NYC Parks included the following breakdown in their official submitted proposal for funding:

  • installation of (6) exterior 360 degree cameras

  • installation of (14) interior fixed dome cameras

  • new wiring to be installed to support the cameras.

  • new conduits to be installed to ensure the distance limitation based on network closet locations

  • new backboxes to be installed

  • monitoring software installation

 

An extract from the application reads, “The newly installed cameras will provide better safety by allowing the limited number of onsite staff to effectively monitor the facility entrances, reception area, fitness room, community room, dance room, computer lab and hallways. They will also allow us to access recordings of any incidents which may take place so that the appropriate response can be made.”

 

In light of the conflicting information received from NYC Parks where Norwood News was referred to the NYPD regarding the camera request, despite NYC Parks’ formal request for cameras as outlined above, we therefore requested another update from the Parks department. We will share any feedback we receive.

 

As reported, when contacted in September 2024 for comment on Bronx CB7’s request for cameras in Bronx Community District 7 (CD7), Councilman Eric Dinowitz (C.D. 11) had said, “I’m proud to have secured $10 million in funding for Williamsbridge Oval which is an important part of our community. While the scope of project renovations has not been finalized yet, all safety items, including lighting, will be addressed within the area that is determined to be part of the scope.”

A MEMORIAL SITE is seen outside the Recreation Center in the Williamsbridge Oval in Norwood on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025 in memory of Ángel Miguel Mendoza Hernández, 14, who was fatally stabbed at the same location one week earlier on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. A healing circle gathering took place at the same location the same evening. 
Photo by Miriam Quinones

The statement continued, “In addition to this, we fund football, tennis, and cheerleading programs at the Oval, helping to keep these activities accessible to local families. We also work with community partners like MPC [Mosholu Preservation Corporation] to bring our first annual Movie Night series to the Oval.”

 

He concluded, “While some of the parks mentioned [in CB7’s request] like St. James, Devoe, and Aqueduct Walk are outside of my [council] district, I remain committed to securing improvements for the parks that serve the people of District 11 and for a city budget that invests in our NYC parks.”

 

As reported, to our knowledge, St. James, Devoe, and Aqueduct Walk fall into Council District 14, represented by Council Member Pierina Sanchez. Norwood News contacted the councilwoman for comment on whether Bronx CB7’s request for cameras in the referenced parks was implemented. We will share any feedback we receive.

 

Meanwhile, we asked the councilman on Aug. 15 what was the final outcome of CB7’s camera request last year in the context of the $10 million he secured for the Oval in capital improvements, and he said cameras were not part of that.

 

“Cameras, I’m sorry, lighting, has been part of that capital project,” he said. “And we need the Parks department to move quickly to install that lighting. The cameras have to be done by the NYPD and we are urging the NYPD… it is vital to get cameras here to monitor this park and the consistent dangerous behavior that we consistently see.”

 

He added, “That’s the NYPD. We spoke with the NYPD to set up the Argus cameras but again, they have not responded to our letter so I cannot give you a response, because the NYPD, apparently, like their 911 calls, were non responsive.”

 

As reported, the councilman and other elected officials had written a letter dated Aug. 7 to the NYPD to request the installation of cameras in the Oval without delay, along with other security measures.

 

Meanwhile, Norwood News shared a copy of Rivera’s letter with both the NYPD and the Parks department, and asked for an update on the camera request. We have not received a response from either department but will share any feedback we receive.

 

As reported, Bronx CB7 has also long requested more PEPs (Parks Enforcement Patrol officers) in all parks across Bronx CD7, including the Oval.

A POLICE CAR is seen inside the Williamsbridge Oval in Norwood on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025 while a circle of healing gathering takes place to the side to help local youth process their grief in the wake of the fatal stabbing at the same location of Ángel Miguel Mendoza Hernández, 14, one week earlier on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025.   
Photo by Miriam Quinones

According to NYC Parks, PEP officers are uniformed, shielded officers who provide security and safety in city parks, provide information about Parks rules to patrons, and safeguard Parks’ wildlife and facilities. PEP officers are empowered to issue summonses for violations and to make arrests. In addition to regular patrols, PEPs patrol city parks by bicycle, horseback and on scooters.

 

On Aug. 15, we asked the Oval rec center how many PEP officers they had and a staff member gestured to one female PEP officer seated inside the center door. He said the PEP officer was only responsible for monitoring inside the center. We followed up with the NYC Parks department press office on this point and a representative said, “That’s incorrect. Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officers regularly patrol Williamsbridge Oval Park at large during the hours they are on duty. There is a fixed post within the recreation center.”

 

As reported, one of the complaints received from a resident after the Aug. 5 murder was that Parks employees/PEP officers seemed to always be indoors in the rec center rather than monitoring what was happening outside in the park.

 

In terms of other preventative security measures, as reported, police had been seen patrolling the Oval before the murder, on the day of the murder, and afterwards. However, since then, they have also been seen announcing that the park closes at 9 p.m. and asking residents to leave at that time.

 

Meanwhile, police said the 911 call regarding the stabbing was received at 7.32 p.m. on Aug. 5. It took place in a packed park during daylight hours. It would seem, therefore, that it will take more than just cameras and police patrols to prevent similar tragedies. A press conference to discuss park security in the Oval was held on Friday, Aug. 15, at 10 a.m. More to follow.

 

As reported, two GoFundMe pages have been set-up to support Ángel’s family with various expenses, one to help the family with his funeral and one to assist with the transfer costs of Angel’s body to the Dominican Republic.

 

For more on Ángel’s family’s reaction to the tragedy and what local youth had to say about it, click here. For more on the assault, initial reaction from local elected officials, as well as prior measures proposed by Bronx Community Board 7 to promote safety in the Oval and other local parks, click here. For more on prior calls by residents for more security in the park following the incident, click here. For more on the latest tactics employed by some to intimidate local youth in the park, click here.

ÁNGEL MIGUEL MENDOZA Hernández, 06/08/11-08/05/25, beloved son, brother, and friend, seen here when he was 10 years old, died at the age of 14 after he was fatally stabbed in the Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025.
Photo courtesy of the family of Ángel Miguel Mendoza Hernández

Help is available for anyone dealing with mental health issues. Read our recent health check here. For immediate mental health support in New York City, anyone can contact NYC Well 24/7 by calling 888-NYC-WELL (692-9355), texting “WELL” to 65173, or visiting NYC.gov for online chat. For crisis situations, dialing 988 connects individuals to free, confidential crisis counseling and support. 

 

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, on X @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.