A 19-year-old Australian tourist visiting New York City was stabbed multiple times in the rib cage and back while eating at a McDonald's on Eighth Avenue early Monday. The unprovoked attack occurred around 2 a.m. at the establishment located near Penn Station.
The victim, who was dining at the restaurant, reportedly exchanged words with the assailant before being stabbed, according to sources cited by the New York Post. The teenager was transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition and is expected to recover.
Police arrested 25-year-old Juan Mercedes at the scene and charged him with second-degree assault.
Regular customers have expressed concerns about late-night safety at the Manhattan McDonald's, with one telling ABC7 that the area experiences frequent fighting and arguments. "I don't stay out here that late because every time around in the evening, at night, this is not the time for any one of us to be out here," said customer Tony Wright.
The incident occurred hours after NYPD officers were involved in a shooting in the Lower East Side. Responding to reports of an assault in progress, officers encountered a man armed with a butcher's knife. Despite repeated commands to drop the weapon, the suspect, identified as 54-year-old Wei Chan, charged at the officers. Police deployed a Taser, which was ineffective, and subsequently fired at least four shots. The suspect was pronounced dead at the hospital. The man's father was found with a head injury in an upstairs apartment during what appeared to be a domestic dispute.
This recent stabbing follows a previous incident at Penn Station in early June, where a man allegedly attacked five people. Hector Deleon, 51, who is reported to be homeless, was indicted on multiple charges including attempted murder and assault. Court records indicate Deleon had prior encounters with the law, including recent incarceration in New Jersey and a prior conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful possession of a deadly weapon in 2022.