A murder suspect who tried to turn himself in at an NYPD police station was initially turned away, according to reports from the New York Post and his attorney. Tiliek Shamel Thompson, 41, went to the 33rd Precinct stationhouse in Washington Heights around 5 a.m. on September 11, accompanied by two cousins, as police investigated the killing of Lovay Williams, 27. Williams was found dead in her apartment on 156th Street on September 6, with injuries to her face and neck. She was pronounced dead at the scene, while her 7-year-old daughter, who was also in the apartment, was unharmed. Thompson and Williams were reportedly dating, according to relatives. Thompson and his cousins went to the station because they believed police were looking for him, his attorney, Neville Onielle Dexter Mitchell, told the Post. According to Mitchell, the officer on duty allegedly said, "I just came back from vacation. Nobody’s here," suggesting the station was understaffed. However, an NYPD spokeswoman later disputed this account after reviewing audio and video from the encounter. She said the family did not tell the officer that police were looking for Thompson and that the officer misunderstood their reason for coming to the station. The officer reportedly thought the group was part of Williams’ family and shared a phone number for homicide detectives with one of Thompson’s cousins before allowing them to leave. Thompson later returned to the station and successfully surrendered, eventually being charged with murder, assault, strangulation, and acting in a manner injurious to a child. The NYPD has acknowledged that the encounter was mishandled, according to the Post. Current and former officers criticized the handling of Thompson’s attempted surrender, saying that officers should have detained him or contacted homicide detectives even if investigators were not immediately available. A senior police officer told the Post anonymously that officers should have investigated further if Thompson had clearly said he wanted to turn himself in. Former NYPD Detective Michael Alcazar added that officers should have contacted detectives working the overnight "nightwatch" shift. The incident comes as the NYPD works to increase its ranks after years of recruitment challenges. In 2025, the department hired 4,056 new officers—the largest number in a single year—according to the Post. The NYPD also lowered some hiring requirements, including reducing the number of college credits required from 60 to 24, in an effort to attract more applicants.