Police Searching For Suspect After Early Morning Slashing In SoHo

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police are searching for a suspect after another man was slashed early Friday morning in SoHo.

It happened around 3:15 a.m. in the area of Canal Street and West Broadway as party goers from the Haus nightclub filed out onto the street.

Khalad Mahmoud was working his food truck overnight on the corner and said it appeared the two men did not know each other and that the suspect was following the victim as if to rob him, CBS2's Ali Bauman reported.

"He said, 'Mister, go back, what do you want from me?' when he touched him," he said.

Police said the victim pushed the suspect, who then slashed the victim across the neck before running up Canal Street.

"He bleeding, bleeding more and I called 911 to help him," Mahmoud said.

Sources tell CBS2 the victim is a 55-year-old businessman in town from Florida. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital and has since been treated and released for his injuries.

Authorities do not believe either man had been in the nightclub before the incident.

It was a very different scene Friday morning as commuters headed to work, unaware of what happened the night before.

"You sort of think you're safe, actually, but people do things," commuter Neelam Tewar said.

"I walk around here at night and haven't had any incidences," said commuter Matt Kordell.

So far, police have not released a description of the suspect.

The investigation is ongoing.