The family of slain Barnard student Tessa Majors on Monday blasted the police union official who linked her murder to an attempt to buy marijuana.
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“The remarks by Sergeants Benevolent Association president Ed Mullins we find deeply inappropriate, as they intentionally or unintentionally direct blame onto Tess, a young woman, for her own murder,” the family of Majors, 18, said in a statement. “We would ask Mr. Mullins not to engage in such irresponsible public speculation, just as the NYPD asked our family not to comment as it conducts the investigation.”
The outspoken Mullins, a fierce critic of Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD leadership, ignited a firestorm when he said in a Sunday radio interview that based on his understanding of Majors’ murder last week in Morningside Park “she was in the park to buy marijuana.”
“And you think about that, we don’t enforce marijuana laws anymore. We’re basically hands-off on the enforcement of marijuana,” Mullins said. “So here we have a student murdered by a 13-year-old and we have a common denominator of marijuana. You know, my question to the people of New York City is, ‘Why is this happening?’ ”
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The NYPD has not said why Majors was in the park. A 13-year-old has been arrested and admitted he was at the scene with two other teens. One, 14, was arrested, then let go while authorities build a stronger case against him. The other, 16, is believed to be the stabber but has not yet been arrested.
The mayor in a tweet Sunday evening called Mullins’ remarks “heartless.”
“It's infuriating,” he added. “We don't shame victims in this city.”
"So here we have a student murdered by a 13-year-old and we have a common denominator of marijuana. You know, my question to the people of New York City is, 'Why is this happening?' " — Sergeants Benevolent Association president Ed Mullins
Mullins, after reading the family’s statement, said his comments “were never directed at the victim, but rather de Blasio.”
“I can't imagine what (the family is) going through,” Mullins added.
Majors' family thanked those, including thousands of strangers, who have expressed their condolences, and the statement also said the family “is interested in knowing what exactly happened to Tess and who committed her murder.”
“We believe, for the immediate safety of the community and the surrounding schools, that should be everyone’s top priority and we are grateful to the men and women of the NYPD for all of their efforts,” the statement said.
