Several victims remained in the hospital after the attacks this morning in Riverside Park, in which police say a deranged homeless man identified as Julius Graham randomly stabbed five people with scissors.
Graham first stabbed a female runner around 65th street in the park, then he stabbed a man walking his dog and then another woman running, before attacking a father and his two-year-old son, say police.
A dogwalker and bicycle rider subdued Graham before police arrived, CBS reported. A bystander told NY1 that the police acted quickly: “The baby getting in the police car, everybody getting into the police car, to the hospital. They don’t wait for the ambulance, they just put the people in the police car and zoom.”
Of the five, at least two were listed in critical condition, the Times reported. The father, identified as former ballet dancer James Fayette, was in serious condition. The boy, who was slashed in the arm, was given stitches and released. Among the other victims identified in media reports were Simon & Schuster editor Ben Loehnen, Jennifer Lipps and Deanna Koestel; their conditions were unclear. All of the victims are expected to survive, the Times says.
As of about 3:30 p.m., much of Riverside Park remained closed, cordoned off with police tape as seen above at 69th street. It was an eerie sight, to see the entire park deserted on such a clear fall day.
On our previous story, commenters fought over the underlying causes of this violence. We’ll have more coverage of that issue. But for now, let’s limit our thoughts and expressions to prayers for the victims. Below, check out an interview with Thomas Ciriacks, who was one of the people who subdued the attacker:
