According to the NYPD, Reinaldo Reyes, an emotionally disturbed man, was holding the hatchet and at one point attempted to swing it on an uptown 1 train as it approached the Lincoln Center/66th Street stop just before 11 p.m. Saturday.
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The Good Samaritans on the train got into a verbal dispute with Reyes, which escalated into a physical altercation. Sarah MacDonnell, who was on the train, says Reyes tried to pull an ax from a plastic bag to strike a random passenger.
A Good Samaritan then noticed what was happening, yelled out a warning, and jumped in to help.
The two Good Samaritan riders were able to hold the man down until police arrived.
Eyewitness News spoke exclusively with Anthony Castro, 30, a rider who was saved from a potentially horrible attack.
"He didn't mind - guy had a weapon in his hand, He just got in between and basically saved me." Castro said.
"If it had not been for this man, he would've taken a swing at all of us," added MacDonnell.
Castro says he was on his way to see the Avengers when the drama unfolded. After thanking everyone on the train, he ended up making his movie.
Police say the 46-year-old Reyes lives at a Brooklyn homeless shelter and has numerous arrests. Charges are pending.
It turns out Reyes had a hatchet, ax and a knife with him.
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He suffered an injury to the head during the scuffle and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital.
Train service was suspended briefly in the area while police investigated.
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