The man who allegedly slashed a woman with a broken glass bottle in SoHo in April faced new attempted murder charges during a Supreme Court arraignment Monday.
Muslim Brunson, 46, sat in New York County Criminal Court on June 2 in khaki prison garb with his head bowed as he pleaded not guilty to the indictment for the April 7 attack.
According to the Manhatan District Attorney’s office, Brunson hurled the bottle at a 28-year-old woman as she walked along Broome Street at just after 3 p.m. on April 7 in an unprovoked assault. The object struck the victim before smashing on the ground, but he was only just getting started.
Prosecutors said Brunson scooped up a shard of glass and chased the pedestrian while screaming incessantly. Mere minutes later, he then targeted a second woman who happened to be in the area, slicing the neck of the 25-year-old victim so severely that it ripped open her skin and exposed her muscle and veins.
The victim received medical treatment from a nearby security guard before EMS arrived and brought her to Bellevue Hospital.
“She did not look good. She was bleeding from the neck and was pale as she was put in the ambulance,” an eyewitness told amNewYork at the time of the incident.
The victim required emergency surgery and even needed to be put on a ventilator. She remained in the ICU for over a week.
Brunson himself was apprehended at the scene.
“As alleged, Muslim Brunson used a glass bottle to attack two women, almost killing one, who were simply walking in SoHo in the middle of the day,” District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. “These unprovoked attacks are deeply disturbing, and I hope the victims continue to heal from these terrifying assaults. Random acts of violence have no place in our city, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to keep Manhattan safe. I thank the NYPD for its quick response.”
This isn’t the first time Brunson has been in trouble with the law.
In October 2023, the sources said, Brunson shoved a 30-year-old woman into the path of an oncoming E train at the 5th Avenue-53rd Street station in Midtown. She suffered a serious injury but survived the attack.
Brunson was ordered held without bail at his June 2 arraignment, and must return to court on June 16. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
