Search Continues For Suspect In Fatal Harlem Subway Stabbing
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The search continues for the man who they said fatally stabbed a man in a Harlem subway station.
Authorities released a photo of 48-year-old Julio Velazquez Thursday morning. He is wanted in connection with the death of a 53-year-old man Wednesday night, police said.
The picture of Velazquez is from a 2013 arrest for criminal possession of a weapon in Manhattan, police said.
Around 9 p.m. Wednesday, investigators said the victim was selling MetroCard swipes to a woman at the 116th Street and Lenox Avenue subway station.
The woman apparently changed her mind, but police said the man grabbed a dollar from her anyway, allegedly punching her in the face. That's when police said her male companion pulled a knife, stabbing the man at least once near the turnstiles.
For whatever reason, the victim got onto downtown 2 train, but collapsed after one stop at the Central Park North-110th Street station.
Medics rushed the victim out of subway with at a stab wound to his stomach area. But by the time he got to Saint Luke's Hospital, he was pronounced dead, police said.
The incident left some residents on edge.
I'm over here shaking," said neighbor Rebecca Negron.
"It's scary because it's been happening a lot," another woman said.
But Mayor Bill de Blasio said statistics show a drop in some violent crimes.
"The NYPD numbers are quite clear -- murders are down, shootings are down."
The mayor said more resources and manpower will be the difference in seeing those number drop further.
"The bottom line is we're on the right path, adding 2,000 more police officers on patrol," he said. "I'm convinced we're moving in the right direction."
The name of the victim has not been released.
Police described Velazquez as a Hispanic man, about 5'6" tall, weighing approximately 180 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
