'I thought I was gonna die and nobody helped me': Commuter, 61, who was slashed across the face with a box cutter on NYC subway says deranged attacker targeted him at random - a day before de Blasio said city transit is 'safer than ever'

Daily Mail ^ | 10:20 EST, 6 February 2021 | KEITH GRIFFITH

[Zhang Fei]

The commuter who was slashed across the face in a random attack on a Manhattan subway train has spoken out, as the NYPD continue the hunt for his assailant.

Noel Quintana, 61, was on his way to work in Harlem on Wednesday when the unknown attacker kicked his bag and then whipped out a box cutter and slashed him across the face from ear to ear.

'I was scared because I thought I was gonna die and nobody helped me,' Quintana told WABC-TV of the attack.

Despite the shocking attack and a recent spate of subway pushing incidents in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio insists that the transit system is safer than ever.

'The bottom line is the subways in New York City have been made safer and safer over years,' de Blasio said at a press conference on Thursday.

'We can talk about facts and encourage the people to understand the facts. Or we can just create fear for the sake of fear. We choose the former,' he added.

Quintana said the assailant (above) kicked his backpack and then slashed him +6 Quintana said the assailant (above) kicked his backpack and then slashed him

'We choose to tell people that the NYPD is out there every day protecting their safety. That subways have been made much safer over time.'

Subway crimes are down more than 50 percent so far in 2021 from the same period last year -- but ridership is down roughly 70 percent in the pandemic, suggesting the crime rate per passenger may have actually increased.

Qunitana, who works two jobs, says that he was on his way to one of them at 8.30am when a disturbed man approached him and began kicking his backpack, which was sitting on the floor of the train.

[hanamizu]

“...the NYPD is out there every day protecting their safety. That subways have been made much safer over time.’”

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NYPD might be there, but if they’re not on your train? And then there’s the catch-and-release and no-bail policies enacted by the democrats in the state legislatures.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

I always kind of saw them as Curtis Sliwa’s way of making himself important, but I have gained a fair amount of respect for him in his later years. I think my impression him might have been clouded by media bias.

I think they helped some, but I don’t think it moved the needle much over all. I respect what they did a heck of a lot more now than I did then.

[puppypusher]

I’m sorry for the victim of the attack,But you can’t expect people to put their lives on the line when their government under the Rat Leadership of DeBlasio would just as soon as have them in jail then the original perpetrator.

[ronniesgal]

me too! I thought AOC was runnin’ her mouth again.
But in this case, let me be first to predict the perp will not be found liable due to mental anguish because- white people.

[House Atreides]

Same ol’, same ol’. Black man attacks random white/Asian man and authorities can find no motivation for the crime. It’s a complete mystery to them.

[Zhang Fei]

Vicious-looking scar inflicted on the vic:

[Beowulf9]

I always thought Goetz was right and never should’ve been incarcerated.

[Zhang Fei]

[I always thought Goetz was right and never should’ve been incarcerated.]

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You and me both. In retrospect, however, he was fortunate. He served 8 months. Today, he’d have gotten a life term.

[Beowulf9]

Oh I thought it was a lot longer good.