In a disturbing broad daylight incident, an NYU student fell victim to an unprovoked stabbing near the Manhattan campus. The attack occurred on Lafayette St., just by the NYU gymnasium, around 1:30 p.m. Friday. The 20-year-old was walking when an assailant suddenly approached and, without uttering a word, stabbed him twice from behind, as reported by the Daily News.
“The unidentified student survived, but the assailant fled on foot.”
The incident adds to the growing concerns about safety in the Manhattan area. Washington Square, the city’s iconic park, along with the bohemian Greenwich Village neighborhood and the beginning of the chic 5th Avenue, have all experienced an unsettling rise in violence.
Recent data paints a grim picture of the escalating violence in New York City. A survey conducted this summer revealed that a staggering 70% of NYC residents fear falling victim to crime. This sentiment isn’t unwarranted. An NYPD report highlighted that fatal stabbings have seen a 29% surge compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The variety of settings for these knife attacks has broadened, with incidents reported on streets, inside buildings, homes, buses, subways, parties, schools, and even retail establishments and ATM areas.
Also read:
- Latino killed his wife, his two children and committed suicide in West 86th Street apartment, Upper West Side
- A 33-year-old man is stabbed inside a Target store in Herald Square near Macy’s
- The surge in New York City stabbings claims Camilo Pabon in the Crotona neighborhood in The Bronx
Other instances of violence
This alarming trend isn’t isolated to civilians alone. Just a day before the NYU incident, an off-duty NYPD officer became the target of another seemingly random knife attack. The officer was mowing his lawn at his Queens residence when he was assailed. The attacker, described as “emotionally disturbed,” was subsequently arrested.
Authorities have yet to make an arrest related to the NYU student’s attack and have called the public for assistance. Anyone with relevant information is urged to reach out via multiple channels:
- Phone: 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or in Spanish 1-888-57-PISTA (74782)
- Online: crimestoppers.nypdonline.org
- Text: 274637 (CRIMES), followed by TIP577
All tips and communications are assured to be treated with the utmost confidentiality.