Four men were hospitalized following a series of stabbings in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood early Monday, authorities reported. The attacks occurred just hours before the start of the annual West Indian American Day Carnival.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) stated that the incidents began shortly before 6 a.m. near the intersection of Carroll Street and Utica Avenue. A 23-year-old man was stabbed in the neck, and a 36-year-old man sustained a slash wound to the face.
Approximately 30 minutes later, police responded to another assault at the intersection of Utica Avenue and President Street, where a 32-year-old man was found with a stab wound to the neck. He is currently in critical condition, while the other two victims are reported to be stable and expected to survive.
A fourth victim, a 20-year-old man, was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle after being slashed on the chin. Details regarding his condition have not been released.
The suspect is described as wearing gray jeans and a black T-shirt and fled the scene in an unknown direction. The NYPD has urged anyone with information to come forward.
The West Indian American Day Carnival is a significant annual celebration of Caribbean culture, music, and heritage, drawing between one and three million spectators for its main parade along Eastern Parkway. The event's J'Ouvert celebration, a pre-dawn street party, commenced at 6 a.m. on Monday, with the main parade scheduled to start at 11 a.m. It remains unclear if the stabbings will affect the event's schedule.
The West Indian American Day Carnival Association is the organization behind the event, which is considered the largest Caribbean carnival in North America.