A man has been arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old boy in the Bronx, which police say was a random and unprovoked attack. The victim, Caleb Rijos, was on his way to school when 29-year-old Waldo Mejia allegedly attacked him, stabbing him in the heart and lungs. Caleb was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead.
Police quickly gathered information and released an image of the suspect, which led to Mejia’s arrest. Mejia has been charged with murder, manslaughter, and criminal possession of a weapon. The NYPD stated that Mejia has a history of violent crimes and mental health issues.
Caleb, a student at Bronx Leadership Academy High School, was described as a good student and a football player. Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark called the attack “unfathomable” and offered her condolences to Caleb’s family. She shared that Caleb called his father just before his death, telling him that he couldn’t breathe and was scared.
Mejia’s criminal history includes several prior arrests. He was reportedly involved in another stabbing incident on January 5, 2025, when a 38-year-old man was injured in a subway station in the Bronx. He had also been arrested in November 2024 for allegedly stabbing a neighbor’s Ring camera with a kitchen knife but was released shortly after. Investigators later identified Mejia in surveillance footage from the stabbing on January 5, which led them to arrest him at his home. During his arrest, he was found with a bloody knife.
Mejia’s attorney has not commented on the case. The authorities revealed that Mejia had a past criminal record, including an arrest in 2019 for burglary and arson, and prior charges for weapons possession in 2017 and 2015. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch called Caleb’s death “absolutely senseless and tragic” and highlighted the failure of systems meant to handle repeat offenders and those with severe mental health issues.
The tragic incident has left the city in mourning. The attack has raised concerns about the challenges of dealing with repeat offenders and individuals with mental health problems in the justice system.
