Teen slashed in thigh while walking in Queens speaks out

EAST ELMHURST, Queens (WABC) -- Police say a 19-year-old woman was slashed in Queens on Sunday morning.

The victim told police she was near 25th Avenue Between 79th Street and 80th Street in East Elmhurst when she was slashed on the left thigh.

"I'm going to be paranoid for a while," said Vanessa Echevarry, slashing victim.

Echevarry will be looking over her shoulder for a long time to come.

She's nursing a deep gash in her thigh after a random attack as she walked to her car.

"Somebody was jogging past me and when they got closer I felt a sharp pain on my leg and they started sprinting past and then that's when I saw the blood on my leg," Echevarry said.

She didn't get a good look at the assailant who slashed her as he ran past in broad daylight Sunday morning.

Police say it's likely an isolated incident, but with so little information about the suspect they can't really know for sure without help from the public.

Echevarry still can't believe it happened.

"That's why I was shocked, it's a very safe place, it's a very calm place, you don't see any of that happen around here," Echevarry said.

She was taken to Elmhurst General Hospital, where she was treated and later released.

The only description police have of the suspect is that he was wearing a gray hooded jacket. There are no arrests, and the investigation is currently ongoing.