A victim in the string of sadistic subway slashings called for more cops on the system to derail the flow of unprovoked violence plaguing the system.
“If you have more cops down in the stations and even riding the train, it would prevent a lot of chaos,” said the man, 44, who was heading to his job at Whole Foods on a downtown 4 train when he was cut under his left eye. He received several stitches to close the wound.
“After it happened I got off the train … I spotted some officers and they saw I was a bloody mess,” he added, noting an ambulance was called and he was taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment.
The victim, who asked that he not be identified, matter-of-factly recounted the incident Saturday in the hallway outside his Manhattan apartment.
“I was on the train by myself. All I know is I was just sitting there minding my business when this happened. It happened so quickly. This guy came with a knife and I stood up and tried to defend myself. I was mostly dodging and trying to fight him off,” he recalled.
The attacker was with another man who egged him on, telling him to “keep going.”
The train was approaching the Union Square station when the attack occurred.
“I said, ‘What are you doing,’ but he wouldn’t respond,” the victim said.
Luckily, the man escaped serious injury, because the foot-long “kitchen knife with teeth” landed below the eye. The area was swollen and bruised Saturday.
After the incident, the victim got off the train as his tormentors stayed behind. He thinks they were with another group in another subway car.
“I’m very blessed because it’s not worse,” he reasoned, adding defiantly, “I’m not in fear. I still think subways are the best way to get around. They just need to add more cops.”
Four suspects were collared Friday in a horrific string of random early-morning subway slashings in Manhattan, police said.
Three of the suspects were slated to be arraigned Saturday. Another person in custody is not being charged and was cooperative in the investigation, according to sources.
The NYPD on Saturday released surveillance video and an image of a fourth suspect
The 12-inch serrated kitchen knife that cops believe was used in the crimes has been recovered, law-enforcement sources said.
Additional reporting by Joe Marino
