Security guard stabbed in neck at Chase Bank on Upper East Side, in critical condition
NEW YORK -- Police are searching for a disgruntled Chase Bank customer who stabbed a security guard in the neck Friday morning inside a branch on the Upper East Side.
It happened at around 9 a.m. at the bank on the corner of 86th Street and Second Avenue, CBS2's Leah Mishkin reported.
It started like a normal day. The doors opened and customers made they way inside.
"I was going to come down to the ATM to get some cash and there was just something in me that made me not go," said Jay Kaplan.
According to the NYPD, it started when a man approached a teller who said they were unable to help him with what he needed. He reportedly got upset and was asked to leave. On his way out, he pulled out a knife and stabbed a 59-year-old security guard in the neck, police said.
"The ambulances came so fast. We didn't even hear the ambulances, which we're used to hearing them all the time very quick. But it was very scary," neighbor Natalia Giraldo said.
"I hope the person survives. It's horrific," said Andrew Fine, vice president of the East 86th Street Association, a neighborhood group.
Friday afternoon, CBS2's Thalia Perez reported the security guard's condition was upgraded to critical, but stable.
"Happen to bring a knife to the bank with him, which is not good," said Fine, who noted business owners in the area are concerned about violent crimes.
"It's a hard time, but that's not a reason to take actions like this. You've got to figure it out some way to get help if you're upset about something," Upper East Side resident Burt Kaliski said.
"It's just sad. It really is sad," said Thomas Vida, another Upper East Side resident. "What's this city coming to?"
"It's troubling. The amount of violent crimes is really going through the roof here, and it seems like nothing is immune," Upper East Side resident Suzanne Curl said.
Some neighbors say they're on high alert.
"We can all see ourselves in that person's, in the victim's shoes," Upper East Side resident Loren Berger said. "Knifings are pretty pervasive, pretty constant incidents. I'm really starting to think about quality-of-life issues here."
"We don't come to this bank, but our bank is a block away. It could also happen over there," neighbor Rafael Uribe said.
"I think that, generally speaking, it's pretty safe, but maybe we should have more, like, neighborhood watch or increased security," Upper East Side resident Susan Bergenn said.
Sources told CBS2 the suspect is a 6-foot-tall man with long, dark, curly hair. No photos or videos have been released by police, so far.
Police said they're reviewing surveillance video to see if he fled into a subway station near the bank.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.