Father Slashed While Holding Son Outside Bank On Upper East Side

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A man was attacked with a knife outside a Chase bank on the Upper East Side while protecting his baby.

The victim told CBS2's Valerie Castro his fatherly instinct took over.

"I have a 17-month-old son. I tried to protect him," he said.

"He went to cut the man with his baby, and I was scared of him touching him," another victim added.

Two men – one holding the child in his arms – said they were randomly assaulted by a knife-wielding man around 5 p.m. Friday as they left the Chase bank near 60th and Lexington.

"We're coming out of Chase bank, and somebody tried to attack us. It was a crazy guy and he pulled a knife, tried to stab us," the father said. "We stopped him, and put him on the floor, and asked for the cops to arrive."

Cellphone video captured the confusion once police arrived on the scene just across the street from Bloomingdale's.

Initially, three man were placed in handcuffs, including the victim with a cut to his hand, until police sorted out what happened.

Police said some sort of dispute between the men led to the slashing.

The baby was not harmed.

Matthew Van Puttin, 20, of Brooklyn, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, menacing and reckless endangerment.