Subway slashing: Manhattan cops seek suspect who knifed three straphangers

Cops are looking for the man they say slashed three female straphangers in two separate incidents within the city’s subway system on Sunday.

Authorities say the suspect first struck inside the 86th Street-Lexington Avenue subway station, where a 19-year-old woman exited a southbound 4 train at around 4:14 p.m. As the victim made her way up the platform stairs toward the mezzanine, police say the perp approached her from behind and slashed her right leg with an unknown sharp object.

Around the same time and within the same station, authorities say the man approached a 48-year-old woman from behind as she stood on the southbound platform and slashed her right leg.

The perp allegedly fled onto a southbound 4 train and both victims were transported by EMS to an area hospital, where they were treated for their injuries.

Less than 20 minutes later, at approximately 4:32 p.m., cops say the slasher struck again aboard the train he fled on. As the train approached the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall subway station, police say the perp approached a 28-year-old woman and slashed her left leg.

The suspect then exited the train at the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall station and was last seen fleeing through the Chambers Street subway station exit. The third victim was also transported by EMS to an area hospital, where she was treated for what cops called “a severe laceration” to her left leg.

Police describe the suspect as a man with short black hair and brown eyes who is 5’8″ in height and approximately 220 pounds. He was last seen wearing a white graphic t-shirt, blue pants, black sneakers, and a black baseball cap with the letter “B” in red on the front.

In a statement, NYC Transit President Richard Davey said he is confident the slasher will be caught.

“NYC Transit cameras grabbed good pictures of this perpetrator jumping the turnstile and I’m confident the NYPD will track him down in short order,” Davey said. “When they do, prosecutors need to press for maximum consequences under the law.”

Anyone with information 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 Twitter @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.

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