CBS 2 Exclusive: Woman Speaks Out About Brutal Queens Subway Stabbing
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A woman was stabbed in the neck and left for dead in a brutal random attack on the subway in Queens earlier this month, and the man who did it remained on the loose Tuesday.
The 32-year-old victim spoke exclusively with CBS 2's Dave Carlin.
"He's still out there," said the victim, who did not want her name used. "That's what really upsets me."
The victim also asked CBS 2 not to show her face. But a scar on her neck was something she wanted everyone to see -- saying such an attack could happen to anyone.
Around 11 p.m. Saturday, July 12, the woman got off an R Train at the Woodhaven Boulevard station near Queens Center Mall.
She said she saw a man she estimates was in his late 30s. 5 feet 10 inches tall, heavy set, and dark-skinned – wearing a blue shirt and black pants.
What she didn't see until it was too late was a screwdriver with a blade taped on to the end of it.
"I thought he was just rushing trying to get past me, and the next thing I know he grabs me," the woman said. "He did this, and immediately slashed my neck -- not a word."
As doctors at Elmhurst Hospital Center put in 15 stitches to close the wound, they told the woman the blade narrowly missed a major artery.
She was able to give police their very best clue -- the weapon the robber used to slash her. A man standing nearby used martial arts to snatch if from the attacker.
"He did the craziest karate moves ever – ever," she said. "He kicked him right in the face."
The suspect dropped the weapon, which as of Tuesday was being checked for fingerprints. But he got away.
Police as of Tuesday did not have any images of the attacker.
"No leads because there are no cams," the woman said. "How can there be no cams?"
Others in the area agreed that better security is mandated.
"There should be cameras in every subway station," said Leslie Dann of Forest Hills.
"It's for the safety of the people," said Diane Singh of Ozone Park.
The victim said she hopes the incident will at least lead to a change in security.
"Something good must come out of this," she said.
Officers who patrol the area told CBS 2's Carlin they have repeatedly asked the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for cameras for the Woodhaven Boulevard subway station, but every time, the request has been is denied.
Check Out These Other Stories From CBSNewYork.com: