Leo Frasier is still in the hospital and described the moments a stranger plunged something sharp into his back, barely missing his lung.
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"They said, 'He's bleeding, he's bleeding,' so I felt massive blood coming out of my back," he said. "And I just couldn't believe I was bleeding so much."
Frasier said he was waiting for the D train around 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the 161st Street station in the Bronx when a stranger invaded his personal space.
"I had to let him know, like, 'Excuse me, young man, get out of my personal space,'" he said. "I've had a long day. It's hot."
Frasier said the man was waiting for him by the escalator as he was walking to the train, and that's where the stabbing happened.
"I saw him run behind me, and I ducked down and turned around," he said. "And I think this is why, I think, he only touched my lung, because had I been standing straight upright, he would have got deeper."
He believes he was attacked because he is a gay man, and the attacker wrongly thought Frasier took his picture.
"I guess, you know, whatever, he could tell I was gay," he said. "I don't give a damn, but at the end of the day, this became a hate crime."
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Police are looking for the suspect, who was spotted in the subway system after the attack and is believed to be in his late teens or early 20s.
"I want to be heard," he said. "I need people to understand that this homophobia and this hate crime (expletive), it needs to end."
Frasier is continuing his recovery, and doctors are evaluating if he will need surgery.
Police say the investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
Crime on the subway is surging this year.
Late last month, the MTA said major crime was up 55% from the same time last year.
Felony assaults are up 18%, and misdemeanor assaults have risen 41%.
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Riders are on alert.
"I think I just keep it to myself, be aware of stuff," straphanger Kevin M. said. "I have headphones on. I don't want people to come talk to me. I just keep it to myself."
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