Police are now investigating a Friday night subway slashing as a hate crime.

A 27-year-old man was approached by a man not known to him, who made an anti-LGBTQ statement, according to the NYPD. The victim was then slashed with a box cutter on his left hand just after 11 p.m. Friday.

What You Need To Know

  • On Friday night, a 27-year-old male victim was approached by an unidentified male who made an anti-LGBTQ statement
  • The victim was then slashed with a box cutter on his left hand just after 11 p.m. Friday
  • Overall subway crime in the city is on the rise, according to recent statistics

The incident happened on a northbound A train as it was approaching Penn Station, police said. The victim is expected to be fine.

Authorities are still looking for the suspect. This slashing comes amid a string of other violent incidents in the subway system this past week.

“You don’t know who is behind you at this point. It is a lot of stuff. You don’t trust nobody,” Mabel Graziano told NY1 Sunday morning.

Graziano was riding the subway in Manhattan on Sunday, and she said she does not feel safe underground.

A subway conductor was slashed in the neck as he was operating a train in Brooklyn early Thursday morning, the NYPD said. There has not yet been an arrest in that case.

The NYPD is also still investigating a man being stabbed onboard a 4 train in the Bronx on Friday.

“It’s not good. It’s not good. Yeah, I read and see those things on television, and it is a concern, but you don’t have much choice, right?” said Dejan Kovacevic, another subway rider.

Overall subway crime in the city is on the rise, according to recent statistics. There were 351 incidents this year as of Feb. 25, compared to 310 last year during the same period.

Felony assaults are up as well, statistics show, with 86 incidents so far this year. Grand larcenies and robberies are also up in 2024.

The NYPD has ramped up its presence underground to try to dissuade criminals and improve the confidence of subway riders who worry about their safety when commuting.

Another measure to deter and help investigate criminal activity is adding surveillance cameras on subway cars. The MTA claims cameras will be on all subway cars by the end of this year.

“I think that would solve lots of problems if they put them [up]. I would trade my privacy for security,” Kovacevic said.