An early‑morning outburst of violence near Times Square included an alleged assault by an off‑duty FDNY firefighter and came amid a series of separate knifings and stabbings across Manhattan within a 24‑hour period, police said.
Police arrested Lexiano Harris, 32, after authorities say he struck a 51‑year‑old man with a cane during a fight at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday. The victim suffered a cut and a scrape to his cheek and was treated at the scene, the NYPD said. Harris was charged with assault, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
The pre‑dawn incident followed another attack in the same area less than 24 hours earlier. At about 4 a.m. Monday, police said a 30‑year‑old man was slashed on the right side of his face at 47th Street and Seventh Avenue. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition and declined to cooperate with investigators. Two men fled the scene after that knifing; no suspects have been publicly identified and a motive has not been determined, police said.
Harris’s Tuesday arrest was the fourth time he had been taken into custody over roughly three months, according to police reports. Authorities said he was arrested July 13 for allegedly threatening a 30‑year‑old man with a knife near West 33rd Street. On Aug. 16, he was accused of punching a 54‑year‑old man during a fight near West 42nd Street, leaving the victim with a fractured right ankle, facial swelling and bleeding. Police also said Harris was involved in an August incident in which he allegedly punched and kicked a 31‑year‑old man during a brawl near West 39th Street.
“The Department is aware of all of his arrests,” the FDNY said in a statement. “He is currently suspended without pay. The member will face further disciplinary charges once his case is adjudicated in the court of law.”
Felony assaults within the NYPD’s Midtown South precinct, which covers Times Square, have increased about 7% so far this year, from 373 to 400 incidents compared with the same period in 2024, according to the latest NYPD data. Overall felony crime in the precinct is down by nearly 10% for the year.
Visitors in the area reported mixed impressions about safety. Mili Montora, visiting from London, said she felt generally safe in public areas but noted concerns about underground transit and late‑night travel. “When you’re in a public area like Times Square it feels quite safe,” she said. Karina Jones, 47, who was visiting from the Midwest, said she felt comfortable during daytime hours but would be more cautious at night.
Separately, two men allegedly slashed each other on a southbound No. 4 train approaching Union Square around 6 a.m. Tuesday, police said. The two men, identified as 40‑year‑old Marcus Davis and 43‑year‑old Robin A. Florentino Valdez, were both cut and transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. Davis sustained wounds to the neck, stomach and right arm, while Valdez was cut on the left leg. Both men are from the Bronx, did not previously know each other, and were charged with assault, criminal possession of a weapon and menacing, authorities said.
The string of recent attacks follows another separate stabbing in the Bronx last week. On Sept. 2, police said a 23‑year‑old man was repeatedly stabbed by a stranger as he stepped off a BX9 bus at the East Fordham and East Kingsbridge Road stop. The victim was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital in stable condition. The NYPD released a photo of a person of interest last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and a black backpack and asked the public to report tips.
Authorities urged anyone with information about the assaults to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1‑800‑577‑TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1‑888‑57‑PISTA (74782). Tips also can be submitted through the CrimeStoppers website or via X at @NYPDTips.
Investigations into the Times Square incidents and the subway slashing remain active. Prosecutors will review the cases as the NYPD and the Manhattan District Attorney’s office determine potential charges and pursue any related leads.