By:Anthony Rifilato
The teen, who police would not name, filed a police report at the First Precinct on March 3.
Police said that on Feb. 16 at around 10:45 a.m., the teen was threatened by three men in front of the Chopstick Chinese restaurant on Grand Avenue. There, the teen alleged that he was threatened with a knife and a machete.
"They threatened the victim and he walked away," said officer Darlene Luftman.
Then, on Feb. 26, the teenager was approached by another male suspect, who allegedly menaced him with a sword while at a nail salon on Grand Avenue. The victim was not injured, say police.
On March 3, the teen decided to report the incidents to the authorities. Luftman said that the teen told police that he knew his assailants, though it was unclear why he was being harassed. Following a check of the Nassau County gang database, Luftman said that of the four alleged assailants, two were affiliated with MS-13.
Luftman explained that it was possible, though not certain, that the teen may have been bullied into joining a gang and said it was rare for teens to report incidents such as these. A search of the victim's name found that he had no prior arrests or gang ties.
Luftman explained that the investigation is ongoing. She said that typically, if someone if being harassed by gangs, the First Precinct provides help, such as school resource officers that teens can turn to as well as the First Precinct's gang unit.
"Our gang coordinator will talk to the victim in addition to the detective's investigation," Luftman said. "He [the victim] will get the proper help."
