Frightened residents of a Bronx homeless shelter where a young dad was fatally slashed in the neck said Monday the accused killer had talked openly about hurting others.
Victim Eric Worrell, 25, was slashed from ear to ear inside the bathroom of his room in the apartment building on Landing Road near the Major Deegan Expressway in University Heights about 2:15 p.m. Sunday.
Cops took 36-year-old Christopher Hunt into custody at the scene Sunday, according to witnesses, and police say they charged him with murder later in the day.
“He had a strange energy about him,” said Derwin Lindsay, 59. “Always in fatigues, bald head, long beard, talking about killing people in the mess hall. He was very anti-social.”
“That could have been me,” Lindsay added. “Today I’m afraid to get in the f—ing shower.”
Police said Worrell, 25, had argued with his attacker but residents believe Worrell was killed without provocation.
“I was in the hallway and I saw Eric come out of his dorm, neck open. He got stabbed in the neck,” said a friend of the victim who declined to give his name.
“When I saw him I took off my shirt to put pressure to save him because he was losing a lot of blood. I was trying to save his life until the police came.”
“He started to talk but he can’t talk anymore,” the friend added. “He was in the bathroom with the other guy. He was alone with him.”
Obtained by Daily News
Eric Worrell. (Obtained by Daily News)
He said Worrell was easy going and had worked at a McDonald’s and a cookie shop in the past and had a 2-year-old daughter.
Another resident at the shelter said he was mortified by the attack and that he’d had troubling interactions with Hunt in the past.
Another resident at the shelter who was a friend of Worrell’s said no argument took place before the attack.
“Everybody in the dorm was sleeping,” he said. “Everybody just wakes up to the scream. There was no argument because nobody heard an argument.”
Obtained by Daily News
Eric Worrell. (Obtained by Daily News)
Another resident said the murder has left many occupants of the Bronx shelter in shock.
“It was just a complete mess,” said Zachary Stankaitis. “Everyone is out of it. Hurt. Traumatized. What went down — this is supposed to be a safe haven and it’s so sad for this poor young kid,”
“[Worrell] come from a really good family,” he added. “Good background. We’re all here trying to get help.”
