A series of knife attacks across Manhattan on Monday left two men dead and a woman critically injured, according to the New York Police Department (NYPD).
The alleged attacker, a 51-year-old homeless man, was arrested following the “unprovoked” stabbings at three separate locations, authorities said.
Mayor Eric Adams revealed that the suspect had recently been sentenced in a criminal case and criticized systemic failures, stating the incident exemplifies shortcomings in addressing mental health and criminal justice issues.
“Three New Yorkers. Unprovoked attacks that left us searching for answers on how something like this could happen,” Adams stated at a news conference.
The violence began when a 26-year-old construction worker was stabbed near his work site, followed by the attack on a 68-year-old man fishing by the East River. Both victims were rushed to hospitals but succumbed to their injuries.
Approximately two hours later, a 36-year-old woman was stabbed multiple times outside the United Nations headquarters. A nearby taxi driver witnessed the assault and alerted authorities, leading to the suspect’s arrest.
The motive for the attacks remains unclear. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny described the incidents as seemingly random acts of violence, stating, “As of right now, these attacks seem to be unprovoked.”
Police recovered two knives believed to have been used in the assaults. The victims’ identities have not been released.