A shocking incident unfolded in a residential apartment in Middletown, New York, where a Haitian immigrant allegedly took the lives of his two roommates. The suspect, identified as Kenol Baptiste, is currently in custody, facing multiple charges.
In the early hours of a Monday morning, a distress call alerted the police to a brutal attack in an apartment complex in Hudson Valley. Upon reaching the scene, responding officers discovered a chilling spectacle. One man was found lifeless within the apartment, while another was found outside, critically wounded.
The two victims, who shared the apartment with Baptiste, were also of Haitian descent. All three men were reportedly acquaintances who had been living together in the apartment for less than a year. The identities of the victims are currently withheld, pending family notification.
Baptiste, 30, is now facing serious charges for allegedly stabbing his two roommates. The second man, discovered outside the apartment, was rushed to Garnet Health Medical Center. Regrettably, he could not survive his injuries and succumbed during surgery, according to the Times-Herald Record.
The police, with the aid of a K-9 team, apprehended Baptiste in a wooded area close to the apartment shortly after the incident. He is now facing charges of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter, both felonies. Additionally, he’s charged with a misdemeanor for criminal possession of a weapon.
The motive behind the killings is yet to be revealed. Local officials are also questioning how Baptiste managed to enter the country. According to Middletown Police Chief John Ewanciw, they are “still trying to track back how, where, when” Baptiste entered the U.S about eight months ago.
At the time of the incident, Baptiste was awaiting federal immigration proceedings. Orange County Executive, Steven Neuhaus, in a statement to News12 Hudson Valley, blamed the Biden administration for the incident. He referred to it as a failure on all levels of the federal government.
This isn’t the first time immigration has sparked controversy in Orange County. Last spring, Neuhaus filed several lawsuits against NYC Mayor Eric Adams. Buses loaded with migrants were dispatched from the city to hotels in Orange County, which Neuhaus claimed was an attempt to alleviate the migrant crisis in the city.
The incident has reignited the debate about the handling of the migrant crisis. Critics argue that the government’s approach is inadequate, leading to dire consequences. The case of Baptiste serves as a grim reminder of the potential dangers posed by the current immigration policy.
Baptiste is currently being held in Orange County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday. The incident has left the community in shock, and many are demanding a thorough investigation and a review of the current immigration policies.