NYPD officer recovering after being slashed in the face near Gramercy Park

NEW YORK - An NYPD officer is recovering after being slashed in the face Tuesday near Gramercy Park. 

It happened at around 3:40 p.m. on Third Avenue and 20th Street. 

Police rushed to the scene after receiving a 911 call of an assault in progress. When responding officers arrived on the scene, they spotted two men in an altercation. One of the two smashed the officer in the face with a ceramic plate, police said. The officer was slashed in the forehead. 

"We just heard the crack, and then suddenly, a bunch of officers just jumped on him. You know, we're right next to a police station here. There's constantly people on patrol," one witness said. "So it's very, kind of, surprising to see the cop being hurt. It's very unfortunate." 

The officer was rushed to Bellevue Hospital with serious injuries. He is expected to recover. 

Police arrested 39-year-old Marvin White of Harlem. He's facing a host of charges, including assault, resisting arrest, menacing, criminal possession of a weapon and more.