Huntington Holiday Spectacular stabbing: Boy, 15, charged with assault

A Huntington teen faces an assault charge after allegedly stabbing a 14-year-old boy on Wall Street during the village's Holiday Spectacular, according to Suffolk County police.

The 15-year-old male stabbed the victim, described by police as his acquaintance, about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, leaving the boy with injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.

The suspect was charged with second-degree assault and arraigned in Suffolk family court, police said.

The Holiday Spectacular is hosted by the Huntington Business Improvement District. Started in 2020, the five-week event shuts down Wall Street to vehicular traffic between Main and Gerard streets and includes a 55-foot artificial Christmas tree decked in lights, according to its website.

"When you visit our event," the website says, "you'll find a delightful array of picturesque motifs perfect for holiday photos, including a dazzling 32-foot-long light archway, a whimsical light-up train where children can create lasting memories, and charming light-up candy canes and reindeer."

Huntington Town spokeswoman Christine Geed described the stabbing as an isolated incident and said there had been no previous problems at the annual celebration.

"This is a fun family event and the town will work to make sure it's safe for all visitors," Geed said. "We do not anticipate any further incidents like this occurring." 

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.