Homeless man slashes man who woke him in Brooklyn subway station, police say

CLINTON HILL (WABC) -- A homeless man sleeping in a Brooklyn subway station slashed a man who woke him up early Monday, authorities said.

The 54-year-old homeless man was sleeping on a bench in the Classon Avenue station when another man woke him at around 3:30 a.m.

The man, identified as Anthony Purdie, swung at the 33-year-old with a box cutter, cutting him in the nose, according to investigators.

Both men ended up at the nearby 88th Police Precinct station house, where Purdie claimed the other man tried to rob him.

Purdie was taken into custody and charged with second-degree assault and menacing. The box cutter was not recovered.

The other man refused medical treatment, and it was not clear why he rousted Purdie from his sleep.

Both men have prior arrests. Purdie served 15 years in prison for a 1994 ice pick murder, and he was himself was a victim of a slashing last month.

There has been a recent series of slashing incidents across the city. Here is information about the others:

* 2/28 | Chelsea, Manhattan | 2 men slashed after argument outside Chelsea nightclub

* 2/22 | Harlem, Manhattan | Woman slashed in face during robbery

* 2/21 | Williamsbridge, Bronx | NYPD officer slahsed while responding to fight

* 2/21 | Morrisania, Bronx | Man slashed in face while walking on street

* 2/18 | SoHo, Manhattan | Man slashed in face during attempted robbery

* 2/17 | Greenwich Village, Manhattan | Server needs 120 stitches after slashing

* 2/16 | Washington Heights, Manhattan | Cab driver slashed in face during fare dispute

* 2/12 | Van Nest, Bronx | 20-year-old woman robbed, slashed while walking home

* 2/7 | East Tremont, Bronx | Man slashed in cheek after dispute at subway station

* 2/2 | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | 18-year-old slashed while walking home

* 2/2 | Parkchester, Bronx | 65-year-old businessman slashed during robbery

* 2/2 | Harlem, Manhattan | Man slashed in face during attempted robbery

* 1/31 | Harlem, Manhattan | Man slashed during attempted robbery on C train

* 1/25 | NoHo, Manhattan | 71-year-old woman slashed while riding D train

* 1/16 | East Village, Manhattan | 30-year-old man slashed while walking down the street

* 1/14 | East Tremont, Bronx | Man gets 100+ stitches after slashing attack

* 1/6 | Chelsea, Manhattan | 24-year-old woman slashed while walking to work

* 12/30 | East Side, Manhattan | Employee, customer slashed inside McDonald's

* 12/16 | Crown Heights, Brooklyn | Man slashed in the face coming out of subway station

* 12/16 | Whitestone, Queens | 16-year-old exchange student slashed in throat

* 11/5 | Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn | 2 slashed in head aboard C train