Manhattan detectives need the public’s help in finding the assailant who stabbed a man in front of a bar last month.
Police released on Nov. 5 video of the perpetrator behind the bloody encounter, which occurred near the Iron Bar at 713 8th Ave., near West 45th St., in Hell’s Kitchen at about 5:45 p.m. on Oct. 22.
Law enforcement sources said the suspect approached the victim, a 31-year-old man walking through the area, and went on the attack, stabbing the victim in the lower back.
Police sources said Tuesday the motive for the assault remains unclear; the victim and suspect did not exchange words before the attack. Sources did confirm that the two men are not known to each other.
Following the assault, cops said, the perpetrator fled on foot westbound along West 45th Street.
The incident was reported to the Midtown South Precinct. EMS brought the victim to Bellevue Hospital, where he was treated for what police described as a severe laceration.
Through Nov. 3, the Midtown South Precinct reported 458 assaults year-to-date, according to the most recent CompStat report. That’s 8.8% higher than the 421 assaults tallied at the same point in 2023. Overall crime in the command this year is down 9.6%.
As shown in the video, the assailant is believed to be a man with a medium complexion who wore a black baseball cap with a white Air Jordan emblem on the front, a dark-colored shirt with the Nike swoosh over his left chest, black pants and black sneakers. He also carried a navy blue backpack.
Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
