Man slashed following argument with straphanger on Manhattan subway train

Manhattan police are searching for a suspect who allegedly slashed a 38-year-old man across his head on a southbound 6 train last week.

According to law enforcement sources, the incident occurred on board the train at the 51st Street-Lexington Avenue station at around 4:40 p.m. on Dec. 20.

The pair became involved in a “verbal dispute,” though police could not confirm what sparked the argument. The war of words became physical when the suspect whipped out a sharp object and slashed the victim behind his left ear, authorities said.

Officers from the 17th Precinct and Transit District 4 arrived at the scene after the suspect had fled on foot to parts unknown.

EMS brought the bleeding victim to NYC Health and Hospitals/Bellevue in stable condition.

Police released a photo and video of the suspect on Saturday. He is described as having a dark complexion and was last seen wearing a dark sweatshirt and green hat.

https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/3073-25-Assault-17-Pct-TD-4-12-20-25.mp4

So far, no arrests have been made, but the investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).  The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.

Meanwhile, major crime is down in the 17th Precinct by 7.2% year to date compared to 2024, according to the latest crime statistics. Felony assault is also down by 21.7% in the neighborhood during the same time period.