Two migrants were apprehended after a horrifying knifepoint rape incident in Coney Island. One of the accused, Daniel Davon-Bonilla, a 24-year-old Nicaraguan migrant, allegedly attacked a 46-year-old woman, throwing her to the ground and raping her while holding a knife to her throat. This brutal assault occurred near Surf Avenue and 16th Street on a Sunday evening. The attack was reported to have happened outside a hotel housing asylum seekers, in an area notorious for being poorly lit and littered with drug paraphernalia.
Davon-Bonilla had been previously charged in another sexual assault case just four months after entering the U.S. illegally. His accomplice in the latest attack, identified as 37-year-old Leovando Moreno, a Mexican migrant, reportedly struck the woman’s boyfriend with a pipe when he tried to intervene. The victim was taken to Coney Island Hospital and is currently in stable condition. Her boyfriend, however, refused medical treatment.
Davon-Bonilla had earlier lived in a migrant shelter in Brooklyn and was charged with multiple crimes, including first-degree rape, second-degree assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. The sources revealed that he had previously crossed into the U.S. illegally through Eagle Pass, Texas, in December 2022, and was arrested by border agents. In his previous case, he was accused of raping a woman inside a hotel, where he was also charged with various sexual offenses. After spending some time in jail, he was released but inexplicably remained in the U.S.
Critics have pointed fingers at New York’s sanctuary city policies for hindering U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from deporting dangerous criminals like Davon-Bonilla. These policies often prevent the sharing of crucial information between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, allowing individuals with criminal histories to remain in the country. The incident has sparked further debate on the effectiveness of these sanctuary policies, especially in light of the increasing number of crimes linked to illegal migrants.
The area where the attack took place, under the Coney Island boardwalk, is infamous for its unsanitary and unsafe conditions, often attracting vagrants and migrants. Residents and park workers have expressed concerns about the danger posed by such areas, especially at night. The incident has only heightened fears among locals about the growing problem of homelessness and criminal activity in the neighborhood.