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NYPD hunting man wanted for random slashing attack at Astor Place in Manhattan


A wild-eyed man in a hooded sweatshirt and camouflage pants is responsible for slashing a 30-year-old man in the neck at Astor Place in Manhattan’s East Village, the latest in a spate of unprovoked attacks in New York City in recent weeks.

The NYPD released surveillance images of the slashing suspect in the hopes someone recognizes him. The suspect is being sought for a random attack on a stranger by the Astor Place Cube on Thursday around 5:20 p.m., cops and witnesses said.

Cops released surveillance images of the slashing suspect in the hopes someone recognizes him. (NYPD)
Cops released surveillance images of the slashing suspect in the hopes someone recognizes him. (NYPD)

 

The victim was stabbed in the back of the neck with an unidentified sharp object, cops said.

“There was nothing going on, no altercation. Suddenly, he was down on the ground holding his neck,” witness Michael Picadi, 25, told the Daily News after the attack. “He was in the fetal position in a huge pool of blood.”

 

A pool of blood is seen on the ground after a person was slashed on Astor Place in Manhattan, New York City on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Gardiner Anderson for New York Daily News)
A pool of blood is seen on the ground after a person was slashed on Astor Place in Manhattan on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Gardiner Anderson for New York Daily News)

EMS rushed the victim to Bellevue Hospital, where he was treated for a deep gash to the back of his neck and shoulder.

The assailant ran off and was still being sought by authorities Saturday, cops said. Cops tracked the man to the subway system and recovered surveillance images of him on a train platform.

Police investigate after a person was slashed on Astor Place in Manhattan, New York City on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Gardiner Anderson for New York Daily News)
Police investigate after a person was slashed on Astor Place in Manhattan on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Gardiner Anderson for New York Daily News)

He’s described as Black, about 6-feet tall with a medium build. At the time of the attack, he was wearing a black sweatshirt, camouflage pants and black boots.

Last month there were at least five unprovoked attacks in the city, including a May 8 incident where homeless man Clifton Williams punched “Boardwalk Empire” actor Steve Buscemi as he walked along Third Ave. in Kips Bay.

The attack took place around 11:50 a.m. near E. 27th St., cops said. Medics took the “Boardwalk Empire” actor to Bellevue Hospital, where he was treated for bruising, swelling and bleeding to his left eye. Williams was arrested on Friday and charged with assault.

Police investigate after a person was slashed on Astor Place in Manhattan, New York City on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Gardiner Anderson for New York Daily News)
Police investigate after a person was slashed on Astor Place in Manhattan on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Gardiner Anderson for New York Daily News)

On May 10 in Harlem, a stranger stormed up and struck an 11-year-old girl with a box cutter for no apparent reason, cutting through the child’s long black hair and slashing the back of the pre-teen’s head.

Shaquan Cummings was arrested after Malgorzata Sladek, the child’s outraged mother, and a mob of witnesses cornered Cummings in a doorway near E. 116th St. and Lexington Ave. Several cops saved Cummings from the mob and charged the assailant with assault, endangering the welfare of a child and weapon possession. He was ordered held without bail when he was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court.

The next day, 36-year-old Amber Lohr was knifed in the chest in Times Square as she chaperoned a group of students from western Pennsylvania.

Lohr stumbled backwards from the 6:15 p.m. attack outside the Port Gourmet Deli near W. 43rd St. and Eighth Ave. but managed to protect the children she was watching from any harm.

The accused attacker, Cyril Destin, sat back down and was taken into custody. Destin was hospitalized after his arrest but was ordered held on $50,000 bail.

On May 20, a 25-year-old acting student was struck in the head with a plastic bag by a stranger in a random attack on Seventh Ave. near W. 23rd St. in Chelsea. The stranger had a heavy object in the bag, which left a deep gash on the victim’s head.

Twelve hours later, a 79-year-old man was kicked in the face by a stranger during an unprovoked attack on Flatbush Ave. near Lincoln Road in Prospect Lefferts Gardens about 10:50 p.m.

In April, cops investigated a spree of unprovoked attacks on women, some of which were detailed on Tik Tok.

Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

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