A man was rushed to the hospital Thursday afternoon after he was stabbed in the legs with a machete in New York City's Times Square, police said. The victim, an unidentified man, was stabbed in both legs and taken to Bellevue Hospital. The victim was said to be in stable condition. Three suspects fled the scene and were later taken into police custody for questioning. No charges have been filed. The circumstances that led to the stabbing remain unclear at this time.
The machete attack in Times Square is the latest in a string of violent incidents that have plagued New York City in recent months. According to the NYPD, there have been 1,174 shootings in the city so far this year, a 13.2% increase from the same period last year. There have also been 1,062 robberies, a 16.8% increase, and 562 burglaries, a 13.6% increase.
The rise in crime has been blamed on a number of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to job losses and economic hardship, and the bail reform law passed by the state legislature in 2019, which critics say has made it easier for criminals to get out of jail.
Mayor Eric Adams has vowed to crack down on crime, and has increased the number of police officers on the streets. He has also proposed a number of reforms to the bail law, which he says will make it more difficult for repeat offenders to be released.
However, critics say that Adams's plans will not be effective, and that the only way to reduce crime is to address the root causes of the problem, such as poverty and inequality.
The machete attack in Times Square has raised concerns about the safety of the city's residents and tourists. The attack occurred in the middle of the day, in one of the most heavily trafficked areas of the city.
The victim of the attack is a 50-year-old man from New Jersey. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.
The three suspects in the attack are all men. They were taken into police custody shortly after the attack. No charges have been filed against them.
The circumstances that led to the attack are still under investigation.
