MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) — Two teen girls, both visiting from South America, were stabbed Christmas morning while eating in Grand Central Terminal.
The victims — ages 14 and 16 — were attacked as they ate with their parents at Tartinery in the Grand Central Dining Concourse just before 11:30 a.m. on Monday.
The 16-year-old girl was stabbed in the back and her lung was nicked by the blade. The 14-year-old was stabbed in the thigh.
They were both taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect, 36-year-old Steven Hutcherson, of the Bronx, got in a verbal dispute with Tartinery staff, who told him he could not sit in the restaurant’s area.
Hutcherson allegedly made statements about the victims being permitted to sit there. Authorities say he then pulled out a knife and stabbed the two girls.
MTA police responded in less than 30 seconds, after running over from their posts. Hutcherson put the knife down and surrendered.
He was charged with felony counts of attempted murder, assault, criminal possession of a weapon, and misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child.
He is also being investigated for possible hate crime charges, due to statements made.
He is both known to both MTA police and NYPD as an emotionally disturbed person with an arrest record.
Hutcherson was arrested twice in the last six months for menacing people with a gun in the Bronx.
He pleaded guilty in both his Nov. 7 and July 24 weapons possession arrests. He received a 15-day sentence in the first, and the second was a conditional discharge, which occurred at his residence. He also was issued a temporary restraining order against his victim.
Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday that he has not been briefed yet, but that overall subway crime is down.
“Any time you have incidents in these high profile locations, it sends the feeling of people don’t feel safe, that’s why we have to make sure we zero in, make the arrests as soon as possible and make sure we get those repeat offenders off the streets,” Adams said.
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