Two separate stabbing incidents occurred in Manhattan's Chinatown on Monday, leaving two victims with varying degrees of injuries. The perpetrator, identified as Carlos Guzman, a 32-year-old man with a history of arrests, was apprehended by police shortly after the incident. According to authorities, Guzman had a habit of targeting elderly victims, and the two stabbing incidents were part of a broader pattern of behavior.
Guzman's résumé includes 11 prior arrests, with six of those arrests related to felony charges. The most recent arrest came on Monday, when Guzman allegedly stabbed two elderly individuals in two separate incidents on the Bowery in Manhattan's Chinatown.
The first stabbing occurred at around 6:10 pm, when Guzman allegedly pushed a 51-year-old woman named Tan to the ground, causing her to lose a tooth. The woman was treated for her injuries at Bellevue Hospital and released.
The second stabbing occurred minutes later, when Guzman allegedly attacked a 72-year-old man named Shum, leaving him with a possible broken arm, officials said.
Guzman's history of arrests has raised concerns about his motivation for the stabbings. While the police initially suspected that Guzman may have been acting alone, they later found a fingerprint on a nearby streetlight that matched Guzman's. The police believe that Guzman may have been acting as a serial attacker.
The police identified Guzman based on a fingerprint on a streetlight near the scene of the crime. He was subsequently arrested and charged with seven counts, including two counts of assault and one count of robbery.
Guzman's history of arrests has been the subject of some scrutiny, with some critics questioning whether the police had done enough to prevent the stabbings. The police have said that they are reviewing their procedures to see if there are any areas for improvement.
The stabbings have raised concerns about public safety in Manhattan's Chinatown, as well as the need for police to work with the community to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.