A 25-year-old man with 17 prior arrests has been charged with murder after allegedly beating and stomping a 64-year-old man to death at a Brooklyn subway station earlier this week.
According to the NYPD, Nicola Tanzi, 64, was attacked Tuesday at the Jay Street–Metrotech subway station in downtown Brooklyn. Emergency responders rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries.
Police arrested David Mazariegos, 25, later that day in Times Square. He has been charged with murder, robbery, and grand larceny.
Disturbing Details
Investigators say Mazariegos was found with four of Tanzi’s credit cards and a katana sword more than 20 inches long when he was taken into custody.
According to police, Mazariegos told officers that he attacked Tanzi because he didn’t like the way the victim looked at him. Surveillance footage reportedly captured the suspect punching, kicking, and stomping on Tanzi’s head 15 times during the unprovoked assault.
Victim Remembered
Tanzi, an immigrant from Italy, served as an usher at St. Athanasius-St. Dominic Parish in Brooklyn. His pastor described him as “a man of faith” who “made everyone feel welcome” at the church.
Political Reaction
The killing has drawn sharp criticism of New York’s criminal justice policies. Former Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, speaking on X, blamed Governor Kathy Hochul, writing:
“@GovKathyHochul has blood on her hands. Nicola Tanzi’s life was taken by another repeat offender roaming New York’s streets freely. New York needs leaders who will back the blue and make America’s transit system safe again.”
Authorities confirmed that Mazariegos had been arrested 17 times prior to this fatal attack, including on a robbery charge. He is currently being held pending arraignment.
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