NYPD officers speak out after saving teen from cane sword attack in East Harlem
EAST HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) -- The officers who helped save a teenager's life are speaking out about the harrowing moments after the 19-year-old was hacked with a cane sword in East Harlem.
The victim ran into a deli for safety after two men chased him and slashed away at his arms with a cane sword that resembled a machete on Saturday.
Workers locked out those assailants and within minutes, Officer Travis Brady from the 23rd Precinct and his field training officer, Jorge Ortiz, arrived on scene.
The victim was fading in and out of consciousness and both of his arms were cut so deep his bones were visible to the eye.
The officers knew there wasn't much time and they had to stop the bleeding.
Brady said the teen was fainting and lost a lot of blood. The victim didn't speak because he was so disoriented from the attack.
"There was blood all over the floor and on his clothing," Ortiz said. "So once we saw how dizzy he was we didn't want to wait for the ambulance any much longer."
Brady treated the victim with a tourniquet while Ortiz worked on a suspect description.
"We're trained in the academy to have them open like this, so as soon as you get on the scene, you take it out of your pouch and it's already open ready to go and you slide it over the arm," Brady said "There's definitely a lot racing through your head at the moment but we fall back on our training and it all comes together."
The training is fresh in his head, because he is only in his second week on the job.
One of the two suspects was taken into custody. Abner Suazo, 19, from the Bronx was arrested and charged with assault, criminal possession of a weapon and menacing.
Police are still searching for the second suspect.
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