4 attacked in 12-minute span on subway, another incident possibly linked

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    LOWER MANHATTAN, New York (WABC) — Three people were slashed and a fourth punched in separate incidents within 12 minutes on a subway train as it moved through Lower Manhattan early Friday, and an additional incident may be linked.

Police say the spree began at 4:25 a.m., when a 44-year-old man was slashed in the face on a southbound 4 train at the 14th Street Union Square station.

He was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.

Minutes later, a 40-year-old man were slashed in the face at the Astor Place subway station. A 41-year-old man was also punched during the incident, possibly while trying to help the victim.

The man who was slashed was also taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.

Then, at 4:37 a.m., a 44-year-old man was slashed in the back of the head in a robbery. That victim was taken to Lenox HealthPlex in Greenwich Village

All the victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Police believe the same suspect was behind all three attacks, and he was apparently riding the 4 train with a second man.

No arrests have been made.

The NYPD is isolating video of the suspect and his accomplice and hope to release it later Friday.

The suspects are described as two Black males in their 20s.

A fourth incident with a 5th victim is also under investigation as possibly connected after a man walked into NYPD Transit District 11 at 161st Street and River Avenue in the Bronx 5 a.m. and said he was on a northbound D train overnight when he was jumped by three men.

The 48-year-old man, who is homeless, said one attacker stabbed him once in the right eye and once in the left side of neck and his cheek.

He also was found to have sustained two slashes on his back.

He is in stable condition at Lincoln Hospital, where he is being interviewed by detectives.

The victim lives at a homeless shelter at 161st Street and Park Avenue in the Bronx.

NYC Transit Interim President Sarah Feinberg released a scathing statement in response to this morning’s attacks.

“These were five very serious armed robbery and slashing incidents at stations on the same line,” she said. “All seemingly could have been prevented by a uniformed presence on each of these platforms. The responsibility for these vicious attacks does not fall on an already strapped police department. It falls on City Hall and the individuals who are taking advantage of the mayor’s negligence on the issue. If he needed a wake-up call, this is it. Enough is enough. The mayor is risking New York’s recovery every time he lets these incidents go by without meaningful action.”

Bill Neidhardt, a spokesperson for Mayor Bill de Blasio, issued a response.

“New York City is surging over 500 officers on top of a 2,500-strong transit force to fight subway crime,” he said. “The city has pulled cops off desk duty and put them on platforms and trains. We’re going to keep putting massive resources into this fight to keep our subways safe. Meanwhile, the MTA sends out statements that point fingers and talk about mayoral politics. Get with the program, help us fight back this crime.”

Train service was impacted as police conducted an investigation at Union Square. Southbound 4 and 5 express service has since resumed from 14th Street-Union Square to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall.

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