Man Gets 23 Years In Prison For 2013 Riverside Park Stabbing Rampage

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A man was sentenced to 23 years in prison Tuesday, after admitting to stabbing five people in Riverside Park back in 2013.

Julius Graham, 44, was sentenced to 23 years, along with five years' post-release supervision, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree assault, and one of second-degree assault, on April 21.

Graham was arrested on Oct. 1, 2013, following the stabbing incident around 8 p.m. that day in Riverside Park South near West 64th Street.

Graham attacked his victims one by one with a half scissors.

Police said Jessica Lipps, 32, was attacked. James Fayette, 34, was slashed, and his 18-month-old son, Luke, also had his left arm slashed. Ben Loehnen, 35, was stabbed in the abdomen, and Deanna Kostel, 36, was stabbed in the back while jogging.

Thomas Ciriacks, 49, was walking his two dogs when he witnessed Graham's rampage, and brought him to the ground. He told CBS2 at the time that he witnessed the suspect attacking a woman.

Ciriacks said at the time that he ran to pass off the dogs' leashes to someone else. Then, he and the biker distracted Graham.

"He was lurching, like very zombie-esque, you know? Something wasn't right about him. His eyes were clearly crazy," Ciriacks said. "He let go of the woman, she ran, and he started coming towards for me."

He said at that point, his dogs got frantic and the man moved away. But it wasn't over – the suspect then attacked victim Fayette and his 2-year-old son.

Ciriacks said he then held Graham down to prevent further attacks. Graham was arrested a short time later.

Prosecutors said Graham picked his victims at random.