Man slashed in neck, shoulder in East Village in unprovoked attack: police
EAST VILLAGE, Manhattan (WABC) -- A man in his 20s was slashed in the back of his neck and shoulder in the East Village of Manhattan on Thursday, in what police and witnesses are calling a random, unprovoked attack.
The attack happened just before 5:30 p.m. near Lafayette Avenue and Cooper Square.
Onlookers lined up by the Astor Place Cube, during the hustle and bustle of the evening commute, frozen for a moment by the thick pool of blood covering the sidewalk.
The horrific stabbing caught witnesses by surprise. They say in the moments leading up to it, there was no dispute and zero altercation.
"Right before, nothing. Yeah, no altercation. Just exploded out of nowhere," said witness Michael Picardi.
There was so much blood though, gauze wasn't enough. The victim had to take his own shirt off to keep himself from bleeding out.
"Normal. People having food inside, literally 30 seconds turn around, heard a commotion. Gentleman was on the floor holding his neck, blood everywhere," Picardi said. "Hunched over. Shirtless. Holding the back of his neck. Very big pool of blood."
There was so much blood, the FDNY had to hose off the sidewalk.
The victim was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, and is in stable condition.
Police say the male suspect fled on foot, heading eastbound on St. Marks Place towards Second avenue.
Cops have not yet released a description of the suspect, but a nearby coffee shack does have a camera angled right at the scene.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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