A man is accused of stabbing a tourist near New York City’s Times Square on Saturday, leaving residents shocked.
The suspect was sitting on a wheeled walker moments before the incident occurred outside the Port Gourmet Deli at West 43rd and Eighth Avenue. He then got up from his seat while brandishing a knife, the New York Post reported on Sunday.
Shocking video shows serial offender stab random tourist near Times Square in unprovoked attack https://t.co/mliWJ5gf4m pic.twitter.com/zueVjGCVew
— New York Post (@nypost) May 12, 2024
Video footage shows the moment he lunged at a pair of tourists who were simply walking by before taking his seat on the walker. The woman who appeared to be stabbed is wearing a dark colored hoodie, while the woman with her is wearing a light-colored jacket.
The victim looked down at her hoodie as the suspect backed off and other people nearby stood watching in disbelief. After sitting back down, he held the long knife in plain view of the camera:
Shocking video shows NYC man slash random tourist near Times Square in totally unprovoked attack. pic.twitter.com/dEGSv3dtMl
— New York Post (@nypost) May 12, 2024
When law enforcement arrived at the scene about two minutes later, they told the suspect to drop the knife and then cuffed him.
“The suspected attacker, Cyril Destin, 62, has been arrested 14 times in the past 20 years, largely for criminal mischief and trespassing — including four arrests since 2019, police sources told The Post,” the outlet said.
According to ABC 7, Destin lives nearby at a location where people can get supportive housing if they are formerly homeless:
Charges against the subject are pending. Meanwhile, the victim was treated at a local hospital for a stab wound to her chest. She was later listed in stable condition.
The deli’s owner, Jamal Mubare, told the Post he knows the suspect and saw him regularly when he came in to buy cigarettes.
“I know this guy one year. He don’t look like he’s dangerous. I think he just didn’t take his medication or something. Everyone over there in the homeless shelter across the street is crazy. They all take medications,” he added.
Another man who spoke to Fox 5 about the stabbing said, “I feel terrible for him because he’s obviously a troubled person. I feel terrible for her”:
In February, a 15-year-old illegal alien was charged with attempted murder after he allegedly shot a woman in Times Square, Breitbart News reported. The outlet pointed to the fact that New York City is a so-called “sanctuary city.”
