The crazed straphanger who slashed another passenger on an Upper East Side subway train is on the loose after escaping from the chaotic scene he unleashed during Thursday’s busy evening rush, investigators confirm to Upper East Site.
Minutes before 6:00 pm, detectives say the suspect got into a dispute with a 55-year-old man aboard a (6) train traveling southbound through the Upper East Side.
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At some point, the situation on board the train escalated, though it is not yet clear why, the suspect then pulled a weapon and slashed the man’s face, police say.
His face sliced open and bleeding, the victim got off at the next stop, 77th Street-Lexington Avenue, and was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital’s emergency department located steps away, above the subway station, and is said by police to be in stable condition.
NYPD officers quickly mobilized following the assault in transit, with cops seen patrolling the subway station’s downtown platform and on the street above.
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Investigators say the suspect fled the train at the 77th Street station wearing a black jacket and blue jeans. A more detailed description of the attacker was not immediately available.
Violent crime like Thursday’s incident is uncommon on Upper East Side subways, which had seen just two felony assaults through the end of April, while police have driven overall crime in transit down 20% this year.
If you witnessed Thursday evening’s slashing or have any information that could help investigators, Please call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477.
