By Gus Saltonstall
A person was slashed and robbed early Thursday morning on the Upper West Side, a police spokesperson told West Side Rag.
The person was walking at around 1:30 a.m. near Amsterdam Avenue and West 95th Street, when three men approached him and cut him on the face with an unknown object, police said. The attackers also punched him repeatedly, NYPD added.
Two of the attackers then grabbed $60 from the victim’s wallet, before the group fled the scene, police said.
The person was rushed to a local hospital in stable condition, NYPD added.
A police spokesperson said that at least one person of interest has been taken into police custody as of Thursday morning, while the other suspects remain at large. NYPD did not provide a description of the suspects.
PIX11 was the first publication to report on the armed robbery.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
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They let him keep the wallet, and just took the money? That was nice of them. NYC is quickly becoming a 3rd world country.
The crime in red cities is WAY much higher than here in NYC, but, you probably don’t care about facts getting in the way of your opinion.
calling NYC a “third world country” due to crime is obviously a racial dog whistle. We are all against crime, and this is a terrible incident. but the crime rate on the Upper West Side continues to be very low. Some people want to politicize every unfortunate criminal incident.
I seem to have hit a nerve. Do the commenters disputing me actually expect anyone to believe that “third world country” is not a dog whistle synonym for “non white countries”?
btw, the preferred term of art these days is the Global South, and it generally refers to countries in Asia, African, and Latin America — not “Black”.
One of the MAGA movement’s profound contributions to American political discourse has been to provide permission to its adherents and others to engage in pretty naked racial demagogy. See, for example, Trump’s reference to “sh*thole countries.” is there any doubt what he meant? Or is there any doubt what he and others mean when they grossly and falsely disparage immigrants from Latin America?
Racial dog-whistling and worse frequently appear in WSR comments. I know I’m not the only one who has noticed it. This sort of invective does not represent the majority on the UWS. In the past, WSR has not permitted my pointing out which comments trend in that direction. I hope allowing me and others to combat this ugliness is a new policy of WSR. If so, I tip my hat.
The term third-world country is referring to a shambolic and lawless society, nothing to do with race. Why is it that “race” is used to diminish a comment or concern, or to try to excuse or downplay a behavior. Some folks can overthink some topics, but can’t rationalize others. If you live in a country where war, rape, robbery, destruction of property, torture and murder are an ever present threat, that is the definition of a s-hole. You don’t need to mention race as this is not an acceptable way to live for ANYONE and we should be doing all we can to make sure it doesn’t become a way of life in our own countries.
You read a lot more into the comment than actually exists.
You know that third-world countries have people of different races (including white people), right, Bruce? Because, you know…assuming that everyone in a third-world country isn’t white is *actually* racist.
Perhaps you should stop reflexively using “racism” to make ad hominem attacks on speakers you don’t agree with.
“calling NYC a “third world country” due to crime is obviously a racial dog whistle….” How so ? Are you assuming that only countries with majority Black populations are “third world?” And if we assume, for the sake of argument, that the muggers were Black (and maybe even the victim, too) then why isn’t it OK to describe things as they are ? Calling everybody out for being “racist” doesn’t help anybody, including the Blacks you think you are standing up for.
You do know that even first world countries have muggings? Obviously it is bad this mugging occurred and I hope NYPD quickly catches the perpetrators.
This is horrible. Hope they get these guys
This will continue until people who do these types of crimes get serious jail time. Write to DA Alvin Bragg and your state senators who created the lax bail “reform” that fails to punish people who commit these acts.
This attack should constitute attempted murder but in New York State this act will probably be classified as harassment and not even assault. They probably won’t qualify for bail. This is what we have voted in.
This comment is nonsense. The vast majority of bail reform has been rescinded in legislation passed in 2020, 2022, and 2023.
If WSR readers are interested in what the laws actually are, rather than this commenter’s falsehoods, and excellent overview can be found on the City and State website:
https://www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2023/05/not-so-brief-guide-new-yorks-bail-reform-evolution/385379/
There’s also a really easy to understand graphic of these changes, which I think UsedToBeALiberal will find helpful.
This is very informative, thanks for sharing!
Maybe the Rag could do some sort of explainer since the comments on every crime story inevitably devolves into blaming Bragg/bail reform before all the facts are out.
This is a horrible crime and I hope the victim will fully recover both physically and psychologically. Of course, those who committed this crime do not belong among civil society. Whatever the reason three men ganged up on one man, they could have easily taken his money without punching him and slashing his face. However, regardless of the amount of the theft, their act of violence should be reflected appropriately at sentencing. Let’s hope that happens quickly.
@UsedToBeALiberal – agree with you 100%.
@Jack – isn’t it interesting that bail reform was rescinded 3 times in the last 4 years? What does that tell you? Our leadership has no idea what they are doing and living in a fantasy world with no concept of how humanity works in real life. I don’t care what the stats are, half of the laws have now been downgraded so much, the stats don’t tell the story.
Example, the poor woman who was punched in the face several months ago and had her jaw broken and wired shut for 6 weeks. What did the assailant get charged with?
A MISDEMEANOR.
So that’s why our crime stats are lower. Misdemeanors do not represent what’s happening here in our city. It’s a terrible joke.
WPIX is reporting that Akim Harris has been arrested for the assault. He is 21 and, if Google is to be believed, is linked to other armed robberies, all involving a knife, in Staten Island and the Bronx. He is due in criminal court on August 10 for the Staten Island robbery.