Friends Led Police to Teen Involved in Columbia Student's Death

Police say that two teenaged boys led them to the 13- (or 14-) year-old charged with manslaughter in the death of Columbia graduate student Minghui Yu. On Friday night, the teen had punched Yu in the face at a median on Broadway between 122nd and 123rd Streets. After a struggle, Yu managed to escape and ran into the street, only to be fatally hit by a car.

The police have not charged the two other boys, who were apparently hanging out with the suspect (they all attend William O'Shea Junior High School on West 77th Street) but did not participate in the attack. A police source told the Daily News, "We saw that it was only the actions of one of the kids that sent the victim into his flight." Additionally, surveillance footage appears to support that.

The boy, charged with second-degree manslaughter, was "showing off" to his friends, telling them, "Watch what I do to this guy," before preying upon Yu. The boy was transported to a juvenile detention facility yesterday; his aunt told reporters, "It's a mistake. That's it."

The Chinese consulate is working to help Yu's parents obtain expedited, special visas to claim their son's body. The executive vice president of Columbia's Chinese Students and Scholars Association Junhua Shen told Newsday that Yu's parents have never been abroad, "You know in China, every family only has one child. So, they lost him, they lost everything."

Yu was head of public relations for the CUCSSA. There are more remembrances from Yu's friends and faculty at the Columbia Spectator.

And Columbia says the area where Yu was walking is north of campus, and therefore the NYPD's responsibility, though, per the NY Times, "campus security personnel are routinely stationed in areas beyond its borders." What's strange is that Columbia's campus map shows its campus reaches to West 122nd Street, where the Teachers College is. At any rate, Columbia campus security is increasing its patrols.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on April 7, 2008 9:25 AM

Comments [rss]

RoDogg

I'm sorry to say that because of incidents like these, blacks are always 2nd rate citizens in the US.

Two lost uneducated kids don't make all black people second class citizens. That is the problem with racism, you are taking these two kids and trying to say ALL BLACKS ACT LIKE THIS, that's easy to say.

Answer me this question: What is the difference between these two black kids and Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold (or better known as the Columbine High School killers)? Both Eric and Dylan came from loving married parents and still committed an unspeakable crime. Now would you call all whites second class citizens. Again, the majority of crimes in America a committed by whites but I'm sure you're not calling whites second class.

Hmm, would you call Tiger Woods or Barack Obama second class citizens? Please, I bet if you seen Tiger Woods walking down the street you'll run and ask for his autograph and hug and kiss him. THESE TWO KIDS ARE TO BLAME, NOT ALL BLACK PEOPLE.

pug_ster

I'm sorry to say that because of incidents like these, blacks are always 2nd rate citizens in the US.

Snoopy

Eyekant, can you list for us ten male black role models for the black youth, and more importantly non-black youth, of America can look up to?

I'll start, Tiger Woods, Bill Cosby, James Earl Jones. Now it's your turn.

poopmast

Not really, a lot of low lifes

Korean Fathers - Abusive, chauvinistic, drunks who make poor financial decisions

Japanese Fathers - extra marital affairs up the yin yang, alot of secret children (very Shawn Kemp-like)

Chinese Fathers - extra marital affairs with women their daughter's age, gambling habits, additional wives and children in mainland china.

GOP

Asian fathers stick around. That is why Asians don't need positive role models in popular society. As for Blacks, they don't have a father figure so they need positive role models in popular society to fill that void.

Birth control is a wonderful thing. So is sterilization. And abortion. If you're on welfare, DON'T HAVE CHILDREN. It's really a simple formula.

smitty

Really sad.

poopmast

Jail time isnt going to do crap to this kid. Watch National Geographic, prison will just make them into smarter, stronger criminals.

poopmast

#35

I guess you have no positive role models like them Asians in order to advance in this society.

JRod5417

Why are we blaming the victim? This poor guy, who appears to be slight of frame, is confronted by three teens, one of whom appears to be quite large, gets socked in the face and its his fault that he ended up falling onto oncoming traffic?! I'd love to see how you handle this situation. BTW, the thug should get shipped to China and included the Bodies exhibition.

rtd2101

This just sucks. The kid is a sociopath, especially if he didn't show any remorse after the guy got hit by a car. He should be punished and punished severely. This hits particularly close to home for me, as I walk through this intersection nearly everyday on the way home.

Also, it is too bad that some Gothamist posters always decide to turn a tragic event like this into an excuse to go on racist diatribes. It doesn't contribute anything, but, well, fear and loathing need outlets and what better place than on anonymous comments on a blog.

KhuntienNang

these young kids action is disturbing. such a young age too. my iphone was stolen recently by a young black kid too, who just grabbed it right out from my hand on the subway and ran off. wtf? what's going to happen to them when then are adult?

JacqueMehoff

uh oh, I'm finding myself slipping into "stuffwhitepeoplelike" number 62 mode. must stop.

but I'm poor, too.

jpeditor

Too bad they can't be shipped to China for trial...

babyhitler

Obama is a positive role model. Right? but He doesn't count cause he's half white. how about tiger? half asian. halle barry? half white. quincy jones? half white. How abour run's house? that's a pretty good role model family for rich black people.

JacqueMehoff

There are some things I don't agree with dr. henry l. gates jr., the part on rap music for one.

but there is one thing he mentioned, that there are more board certified african american Cardiologists than there are african american pro basketball players.

Polemicist

Ph:

Within Western Civilization, this kind of behavior has been identified as highly criminal going back to the founding of the first cities in history. Until perhaps the past century, criminals like this were routinely executed. In many countries today where mitigating circumstances are not recognized, these kids would have been summarily executed if a police officer witnessed the crime.

In any event, the kids should be sterilized. It is very rare for the progeny of juvenile delinquents to not be criminals also.

eyekantspel

We have almost no positive black role models in this country...and the kicker is..the market embraces and extols the type of hyper-masculine deviant behavior that these teens display.

That's a b.s. excuse. There are certainly positive black role models in this country. Maybe none in this kid's life, that remains to be seen, but it does not excuse his behavior.

gunther

Juvenile detention? Picking up IEDs in Iraq would be more helpful.

Rocknrope

Just to clear up some confusion:

1) China has a one-child policy, not a "forced abortion if your child is a girl" policy. There are more female babies that wind up in orphanages, because of the traditional mentality of having a son care for parents in old age, etc.

2) There are people who have more than one child, especially nowadays. They just have to pay a fine, which more of them can now afford to do because of growing entrepreneurship.

3) The people who generally have to stick to the one-child poilcy are those who work in government jobs, where they not only may not have the money to pay the fine, but also risk losing their job.