Man Accused Of Stabbing Tourist In Head In Midtown Arrested
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A man wanted for stabbing a tourist walking in Midtown early Sunday morning was arrested Wednesday, police said.
Steven Tlapanco, 20, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon.
Tlapanco was aware police were looking for him and turned himself in to the Midtown North Precinct, police said. He has no prior criminal record, according to police.
Police released surveillance video and photos last week that showed the suspect running into a nearby subway station to get away.
Connor Rasmussen, 23, from Washington State, was experiencing New York City with friends and family. The trip started out perfectly for Rasmusen and his girlfriend, Jordan Asher, with a romantic proposal in Central Park.
"It was like the most exciting moment and then one of the scariest moments of my life," Asher said.
Rasmussen had dropped Asher off at her hotel and was headed to get some pizza with his friends in Midtown early Sunday morning when police said a man came up from behind him and stabbed him in the head.
"I never heard the guy, I never heard anything -- next thing you know, I'm just getting hit," Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen says he locked eyes with the suspect before they both took off in opposite directions.
"As I'm running, I'm freaking out," he said."I pull my hand out and look — it's a freaking knife, like a steak knife in my hand that I just pulled from my head. I can't even understand what I did."
Rasmussen says he could have easily been paralyzed — or worse.
"It's a miracle. pretty much if it was any other direction up or down or left or right i would probably be paralyzed or either dead and i just have a flesh wound it doesn't even make sense," Rasmussen said.
His fiance told CBS2 the ordeal has not soured them on New York City — saying this could have happened anywhere. She's mostly grateful to now get to planning their special day.
"Thanking God that we still get to experience our life together," Asher said.