Man working at Upper East Side juice bar says customer stabbed him after she couldn't afford order
NEW YORK -- The search is on for a woman accused of repeatedly stabbing a worker at a juice bar on the Upper East Side.
The worker said the woman was a disgruntled customer who came back with a vengeance.
It happened at Juice Island on Third Avenue near 61st Street around the time the business was closing Wednesday.
One hour after being released from the hospital, Luis Vasquez shared what he said was one of the scariest moments of his life.
"It hurts a lot because I just came back from the hospital," said Vasquez. "She was coming with a knife to attack me and I defend with my hand."
With stitches on his neck, staples on his head and a big bandage around his right hand, Vasquez said the woman came into the juice bar earlier that day and placed an order, but didn't have enough money to pay for it.
"When I ignored her she get upset. So she start throwing the stuff from the store," said Vasquez.
Then, she threatened him, according to Vazquez.
"'I'm gonna wait for you when you finish. I'm gonna come back,'" he said. "I never think she's gonna come back."
Surveillance video obtained by CBS2 shows her returning to Juice Island later that night, dressed in a pink hooded-sweatshirt. She went behind the counter, grabbed a knife and went straight to the back.
"I turned around, there was the lady with a knife," said Vasquez.
Police said the woman took off after stabbing Vasquez multiple times.
"There was just blood all over the back of his head," said Micaela Duffy, a witness.
Vasquez, an immigrant from Ecuador, said he's not sure if he'll return to the juice bar. But he needs the money.
"I don't know what to do because I work every day to eat, to pay my bills, the rent," he said.
The owners of Juice Island said they are going to close earlier now, just to be safe.
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.
