Man arrested in Manhattan woman, Buffalo State grad's death pulled from angry crowd by NYPD officers
MANHATTAN (PIX11/WIVB) – The suspect in a Manhattan woman's death was taken into custody Monday after NYPD officers pulled him from a crowd of angry neighbors.
According to elected officials, the woman was a graduate of Buffalo State University.
Yazmeen Williams' body was found wrapped inside a sleeping bag amid garbage about a block away from the Straus Houses on East 27th Street in Kips Bay Friday night, according to authorities. The 31-year-old woman was shot to death, per police.
Surveillance video showed a man in a wheelchair using a dolly to haul Williams' remains, according to authorities.
Several dozen people were seen storming the wheelchair-bound man before he was taken into custody on Monday at the Straus Houses. Neighbors first spotted the man leave his home, called police, and then restrained him until officers arrived, sources told PIX11 News.
The group heckled and grabbed at the man as EMT crews carried him away on a stretcher, video of the incident showed.
Police identified the man as 55-year-old Chad Irish. He was charged with concealment of a human corpse on Tuesday.
Williams' mother told PIX11 News that the community unleashed its hurt and anger onto the man.
“He took a young beautiful girl, snuffed her out, took her life away from her. Threw my daughter in a garbage bag. The whole community was upset because she didn’t deserve that. He’s scum,” said Nicole Williams.
Williams graduated from Buffalo State University in 2016 with a degree in criminal justice.
"The Buffalo State community is deeply saddened to learn of the untimely loss of Yazmeen Williams," said Buffalo State University Interim President Bonita Durand in a statement to WIVB News 4. "We send our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends, and hope for swift justice to help bring peace for all who knew Yazzy."
Police also found a gun after taking Irish into custody. The NYPD has yet to reveal his connection to Williams.