UPDATE: New York City police are urgently searching for a subway attacker who slashed two men in the face during a shocking incident on Wednesday. The assaults took place around 3:20 p.m. at the Union Turnpike subway station in Kew Gardens, Queens, as the victims awaited their train.
According to the NYPD, a 42-year-old man was unexpectedly slashed in the forehead from behind by an unidentified assailant. Just moments later, the same attacker struck again, targeting a 50-year-old man who was also slashed in the face. Both victims were rushed to local hospitals and are currently reported to be in stable condition.
Authorities confirmed that the victims did not know their attacker, and no words were exchanged prior to the violent outbursts. As of now, police have made no arrests in this alarming case, which is raising significant concerns about safety in the subway system.
Video footage of the incident reveals the chaotic scene, highlighting the “random” nature of the attacks. Comments from the public underscore the growing frustration over subway safety, with calls for immediate action against the unidentified slasher.
This is not an isolated incident. The NYC subway has recently been marred by a series of violent occurrences, including a disturbing attack where a man used a tree branch to assault a 22-year-old woman. That incident occurred at a Brooklyn subway station, demonstrating a troubling pattern of violence within the transit system.
In another alarming episode, police arrested Sapon Garcia Santos Israel, a 38-year-old man, after he assaulted a passerby who tried to intervene during his tirade against subway riders. Despite an overall 4% decrease in subway crime reported by the NYPD this year, assaults are on the rise, totaling 509 incidents in 2024, which is nine more than the same period last year.
As the investigation continues, authorities urge anyone with information about the slasher to come forward. The urgency for public safety is palpable as residents demand answers and increased protections in the subway system.
Stay tuned for further updates as this story develops. The NYC subway community is on high alert, and the search for the attacker intensifies.
