Massive brawl erupts in New Haven courtroom as murder suspect faces charges

Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News on Jan 2, 2026

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Chaos erupted this week in a Connecticut courthouse, where a 21-year-old man was arraigned for the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend in East Haven.

Tyreek Black appeared in a New Haven courtroom on Wednesday after being arrested for the Tuesday morning murder of 21-year-old Destiny Rumley. The defendant had allegedly confessed to the killing in a 911 call, according to court documents reviewed by NBC Connecticut.

Black’s bond was placed at $2.5 million during a heated hearing that began with someone in the gallery screaming an expletive at the suspect. Things then turned violent when someone tried to lunge at Black as marshals walked him out of the courtroom, leading to a skirmish appearing to involve about a dozen people.

The melee was broken up by authorities quickly, though the yelling continued as they were ushered out of the room.

Prosecutors said Rumley suffered “nine deep puncture wounds” before being rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital, where she died from her wounds. Inside the apartment where the stabbing occurred, responding officers found Rumley’s 3-year-old child, who was not injured and safely removed.

A collective gasp erupted from the courtroom when the graphic details were provided.

Rumley’s family members were still upset following Wednesday’s arraignment.

“He brutally stabbed her. What justice can we get?” Rumley’s cousin Angel Hubbard asked outside the courthouse, adding that the family is trying to comprehend the “unreal reality” of Rumley’s child being left without a mother.

The family confirmed to the Stanford Advocate that while Rumley and Black were dating, he is not the father of her child.

Black has been charged charged with murder, risk of injury to a minor, assaulting emergency personnel, interfering with police and interfering with an emergency call. He was arrested after barricading himself inside the apartment and a subsequent struggle with police.

Black’s public defender, Stephanie Busto, argued that her client “is truly a product of his environment,” which she said included growing up in “unstable” foster homes and suffering from multiple mental health and substance abuse issues.

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