According to police and media reports, the victim, John Mach, who works as a caretaker at the church just east of First Avenue, was slashed in the neck with a razor blade after trying to stop a man from urinating between cars.
The suspect was also reportedly going to urinate on the church wall. The two men got into an argument. The unidentified suspect returned just after 5 and slashed Mach along his jawline to behind his left ear as he helped a wheelchair user enter the church, according to the reports.
Mach needed 16 stitches to close the gash on his neck. (He talked with ABC 7 here.)
Police are offering up to $3,500 for information about the suspect, who is apparently known in the area.
Anyone with information about the incident — which the police are calling "attempted murder" — can contact the NYPD through the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
According to The Tablet, Mach was back at work the day after the slashing.
No doubt when they find this guy, he will have an extensive criminal record and should never have been allowed to be out on the street to continue to commit violent crimes. Just another benefit of our wonderful revolving door criminal justice system.
ReplyDeleteGiven that he is described as a "regular" in the area, it's not clear why it would be so hard to track him down (even if he's gone into hiding). Someone (or many someones) must know who he is.
ReplyDeleteIt is my understanding that the flea-market vendors there have had violent run-ins with the culprit and know who he is. They are the same vendors who tried to stop him and threw punches as he fled the scene of the crime.
ReplyDeleteI guess all of those surveillance kiosks missed him.
ReplyDeleteCommunity complaints about violence, encampments, drug dealing, assaults, etc. on this stretch of 14th street would fill a phone book — and have remained largely unaddressed by our electeds. Yet I guarantee the East Village lines up to vote for more of the same.
ReplyDeleteLet’s see if they even bother to hold and prosecute him:
ReplyDeleteEast Village Church Slasher Arrested
https://www.otdowntown.com/news/east-village-church-slasher-arrested-BI3183425
A month after slashing a security guard at an E. 14th St. church in the neck with a box cutter, a 28 -year-old homeless man was arrested on Feb. 22 and faces charges including attempted murder.