Coney island online meetup turns violent after 15-year-old boy beaten and robbed at knifepoint

Coney Island online meetup turns violent after 15-year-old boy beaten and robbed at knifepoint

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1 min read
January 30, 2026

BROOKLYN, NY – The NYPD is searching for four suspects who allegedly attacked and robbed a 15-year-old boy in Coney Island after luring him to meet through social media.

Police said the incident occurred around 4:58 p.m. on Saturday, January 17, 2026, inside a building at 2832 West 23rd Street, within the 60th Precinct. The teen had gone there intending to sell a jacket to someone he had met online. Upon arrival, he was approached by four unidentified individuals who demanded his belongings and threatened to stab him.

The suspects then began punching and pushing the victim, forcing him into a stairwell before stealing his jacket, two cell phones, and other personal property. The attackers fled the location in an unknown direction. The victim suffered facial injuries but did not require hospitalization.

Detectives are investigating whether the robbery is connected to similar social media-related luring incidents reported across the city. Police are urging residents, particularly minors, to arrange all online sales in public, well-lit areas and to avoid meeting unknown individuals alone.

  • Four suspects robbed a 15-year-old boy inside 2832 West 23rd Street in Coney Island.
  • The victim was lured through social media and assaulted before being robbed.
  • Anyone with information is urged to contact @NYPDTips or call 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

Tips can also be submitted anonymously online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org. The NYPD continues to canvass the area and review building surveillance footage.

Phil Stilton
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Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

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