A KNIFE-wielding slasher has stabbed five people in a matter of weeks in New York City sparking a frantic manhunt.
Police released photos of a hooded man, who appeared to be lying in wait with a huge hunting knife, on Wednesday.
NYPDHorrifying CCTV photos show a man in gray hoodie holding a large hunting knife[/caption]
NYPDThe man has reportedly stabbed five victims[/caption]
The New York Police Department confirmed on Wednesday evening a person of interest had been arrested.
The suspect was later identified as 27-year-old Jermaine Rigueur, who is believed to have stabbed his first victim on January 8, before attacking four others in Springfield Gardens and Jamaica, Queens this week.
Rigueur works as a greeter at Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn, reports the New York Post.
He may also be connected to another assault in Brooklyn on Wednesday.
“We have an unidentified individual who is walking around the street randomly stabbing people with a hunting knife,” NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell told reporters at a press briefing on Wednesday, before the arrest was made.
NYPD security footage showed the suspect wearing a gray hoody, pacing alongside a store window and peering out from behind a wall.
Cops earlier urged anyone who may know the man to come forward – but warned the suspect is “armed and dangerous.”
“Over the past several days there have been multiple stabbings in two different queens precincts,” Police Commissioner Edward Caban told reporters on Wednesday afternoon.
“These are senseless and unprovoked attacks and the NYPD is working around the clock to identify and locate the person responsible and stop this violence.”
The bloody rampage began on January 8, with further attacks carried out on January 16 and 17.
Three were carried out on Wednesday morning in Springfield Gardens in Queens, one of the five Burroughs of New York City.
On Tuesday, 34-year-old Shaneka Anderson was walking home when a man came from behind and stabbed her in her right side with a knife at 158th Street and 134th Avenue in Springfield Gardens.
Anderson told The New York Post she was walking home from work just after midnight when the knifeman snuck up on her from behind.
“Just as I’m walking to my house, I’m about to get to my house [and] he stabs me in the back,” she said.
“I didn’t realize he had. I felt like he just punched me and he takes off.”
Anderson said she heard the slasher mumble, but couldn’t make out what he was saying as he made a slippery getaway in the snow.
Just as I’m walking to my house, I’m about to get to my house [and] he stabs me in the back.
Shaneka Anderson
The attack on January 8 involved a 61-year-old man who was stabbed in the lower back at 137th Avenue and 157th Street.
“In this incident, the suspect actually laughed in the victim’s face after he stabbed him,” said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny, reports local CBS affiliate WCBS.
On Wednesday morning, a 74-year-old man was escorting his wife to work when a man stabbed him in the back.
Bruce An, the owner of a nearby dry cleaning shop, helped the 74-year-old victim.
“Around 7:30 a.m., one old guy walking in the store, and he needed help,” An said, reports WCBS.
“I pick up the phone and I called 911…Later, the cops came in, and they opened his jacket, and behind it there was a lot of blood on his clothes. And then ambulance came.”
The perpetrator ran down the street and stabbed his next victim, a 41-year-old man, in the abdomen “without saying a word,” reports local ABC affiliate WABC.
The last stabbing occurred at Parsons Boulevard and Archer Avenue.
The 36-year-old victim got into an altercation with the suspect on an MTA bus.
When the two exited the bus in Jamaica, the suspect stabbed the victim and fled on foot.
“We have confirmed that the perpetrator in all of these incidents is connected,” Kenny said.
Police are also now looking at whether another unprovoked attack on Wednesday morning on the J/M/Z subway platform in Bushwick, Brooklyn, is tied to Rigueur, the New York Post reports.
The victim was knifed at 9:40 am and rushed to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, cops said.
All victims are suspected to survive.
Anyone with information is urged to contact NYPD via 911 or 800-577-TIPS/8477.
New York City stabbings
A person of interest has been arrested following the string of unprovoked attacks in the city.
January 8 – a 61-year-old man is stabbed in the lower back on 137th Avenue and 157th Street.
January 16 – a 34-year-old woman is stabbed in her right side while walking home.
January 17 – A 74-year-old man is stabbed in the back while escorting his wife to work.
January 17 – a 41-year-old man is stabbed in the abdomen moments later.
January 17 – a 36-year-old is stabbed on Parsons Boulevard and Archer Avenue after getting into an altercation with the suspect on an MTA bus.
NYPDThe suspect who allegedly stabbed five people in a spree of random attacks in Queens was taken into custody Wednesday evening[/caption]
PIX11The suspect has yet to be identified[/caption]
PIX11The first incident occurred on January 8 and involved a 61-year-old man[/caption]
PIX11A 34-year-old woman was walking home on Tuesday when a man came from behind and stabbed her in her right side with a knife[/caption]
PIX11A 74-year-old man was escorting his wife to work on Wednesday when a man stabbed him in the back[/caption]
PIX11The third victim was stabbed shortly after the second victim[/caption]
ABC7The last victim was stabbed by the assailant following a verbal altercation on an MTA bus[/caption]
PIX11Police are investigating whether these stabbings are related to a stabbing that occurred on a northbound J subway train in Brooklyn[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
