Police are searching for a man who slashed a 17-year-old boy across the face with a box cutter during a dispute aboard a train at the Third Avenue–149th Street subway station in the Bronx on Dec. 23, 2025, then ran off, authorities said.
The case resurfaced this week after detectives circulated clearer images of the suspect and appealed for tips. The teen, who suffered a cut to the left side of his face, was treated at a hospital and listed in stable condition. Investigators say the confrontation began as the train doors were opening at the busy South Bronx hub in late afternoon. No arrests had been announced as of Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. The inquiry is being handled by Transit District detectives, with Crime Stoppers collecting information as officers canvass for additional video and witnesses.
According to police, the encounter started as the teenager stepped onto the train and exchanged words with a man near the doorway. The argument escalated, and the assailant pulled a box cutter and slashed the teen before the doors closed. The suspect exited the station and fled into the surrounding Mott Haven neighborhood. First responders brought the victim to a nearby hospital. “The individual displayed a box cutter and slashed the victim,” police said as they released surveillance stills from inside the station. The pictures show a man in dark clothing and sneakers walking through a mezzanine area moments before the attack, according to investigators.
Detectives said the Bronx incident is one of several recent slashing cases under review across the transit system this month, including a separate attack on a 16-year-old at the Seneca Avenue station in Ridgewood on Jan. 19. In the Bronx case, the time of the assault was shortly before 4 p.m., when after-school crowds and commuters often pack the 149th Street complex. The station connects multiple lines and has extensive camera coverage, but investigators noted that angles and lighting can vary across platforms and stairways. Police did not release a detailed motive beyond the brief argument, calling the assault unprovoked beyond the initial exchange. The teen’s name was not made public because of his age.
Third Avenue–149th Street, a key transfer point for riders moving between the South Bronx and Manhattan, has long been a focus of transit patrols during the late afternoon rush. Detectives are pulling footage from station cameras and nearby storefronts, reviewing turnstile data, and checking for similar patterns involving a box cutter. As part of standard procedure, officers have also been looking for medical reports and canvassing businesses along Third Avenue for witnesses who may have seen the suspect leave the station. The crime scene included the doorway area where the cut occurred and portions of the mezzanine where the man was last captured on camera.
Police said the next steps include refining the suspect description from the surveillance images and confirming the route he took after leaving the station. If additional video clarifies the path to street level, investigators may release a timeline showing minute-by-minute movements. Any charging decisions would follow an arrest and review by Bronx prosecutors. The transit bureau is also expected to summarize its findings in an incident report to system managers, who track platform conditions and peak-time deployments. Officials said updates would be provided if detectives identify the suspect or make an arrest.
Riders described the station as crowded on weekday afternoons, with trains arriving in quick succession and stairways filling as doors open. In interviews near the concourse earlier this week, commuters said they noticed additional patrols after the new appeal for tips went out. One rider said the images posted in the mezzanine were a reminder that “arguments can turn fast” in tight spaces. Police emphasized that officers assigned to the area were briefed on the case and were watching for the man captured in the photos.
As of Thursday, police said the teen was recovering and that the investigation remained active. Detectives plan another review of station video and canvass results ahead of the evening rush on Friday, Jan. 23, unless a suspect is identified sooner.
Author note: Last updated January 22, 2026.