Judge grants freedom to Bronx teacher who threatened journalist with machete

Shellyne Rodríguez, accused of wanting to "chop" the throat of a reporter, was released on bail after appearing in court.

Profesora apunta a un periodista con un machete. — Screen

Published by

Verónica Silveri Pazos

26 de mayo, 2023

Topics:

New York

Shellyne Rodriguez, the former Hunter College professor who threatened a New York Post reporter with a machete, was released by a Bronx judge after turning herself in to police a few hours earlier.

Rodriguez surrendered to justice at a police station on Thursday morning. Subsequently, she attended her first appearance before the Bronx Criminal Court. During the hearing, she was accused of threatening and harassing a New York Post reporter who knocked on her apartment door asking for an interview.

Despite the offensive and repulsive nature of the attack, the judge granted the former Hunter College professor "bail."

For an interview, he pulls out a machete

The NYPD was investigating Rodriguez for holding a machete to the neck of a NY Post reporter and for making threats to "cut" his throat.

It all started at the door of Rodriguez's Bronx apartment, when reporter Reuven Fenton and a cameraman -both from the New York Post- knocked on his door to conduct an interview about a viral video on social networks showing Rodriguez violently insulting pro-life students who had set up an information desk at the institution where she worked (Hunter College).

Fenton identified himself as a reporter; and Rodriguez - before opening the door - already threatened to "cut him off" and yelled "get away from my door!" Subsequently, she stepped out and put the edge of the machete to Fenton's neck.

The Post workers quickly fled. But Rodriguez -still with machete in hand- chased them into the street: "If I see you on this block one more f***ing time, you're going to...! (...) Get the f*** out of here, yo!" he shouted.

Rodriguez farewell to Hunter College

Vince DiMiceli - spokesman for Hunter College - told The Post that hours after the attack, Rodriguez was fired from the institution. This information was confirmed by the Manhattan school:

Rodriguez has been relieved of her duties at Hunter College effective immediately and will not return to teach at the school. Hunter College strongly condemns the unacceptable actions of Shellyne Rodriguez and has taken immediate action.

Reporter Fenton told Fox News that he is exploring all possible legal avenues to consider pressing charges against Rodriguez.

I still have to figure that out. I am in discussions about what I am going to do next. To be honest, this is the first time I've been in this situation where I've been asked whether or not I would press charges, I've never pressed charges, so I'm still thinking about all this. That being said, I need to talk to the police and talk to the company and see what my best path is here....