Times Square stabbing suspect has 14 prior arrests: NYPD

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) — A tourist is recovering after being stabbed over the weekend near Times Square.

The 36-year-old woman is expected to make a full recovery after she was taken to Bellevue Hospital.

Police say she was stabbed while passing by the corner of West 43rd Street and 8th Avenue.

The vicious attack occurred around 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, May 11. The stabbing was captured by a deli security camera.

Surveillance shows the suspect sitting down on a walker and smoking what appears to be a cigarette. As two women walk near him, he jumps up from his walker, takes out a large knife, and stabs one of the females. He then sits on his walker again, like nothing happened.   

Anwar, who works at Port Gourmet deli, says that cops arrived within three minutes and arrested the man, identified as 62-year-old Cyril Destin.

According to Anwar, Destin is a regular customer who had just bought a pack of cigarettes. “He is a nice guy, comes buy the cigarette, buy the coffee. He don’t make no problem for nobody, but that day I don’t know,” he stated.

Destin was charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon. He is no stranger to the police. The NYPD tells NewsNation affiliate WPIX that he has been arrested at least 14 times, including for robbery and drug-related offenses.

While some visiting New York City say this frightens them, others like Ana Garcia who is here from Spain, say this will not impact their stay.

“Worrying about it is not gonna change anything and is not gonna make me safer,” said Garcia. She says thinking about it could ruin her visit.

WPIX has learned that Destin lives in supporting housing near this area. Once he was taken by police, he also underwent psychiatric evaluation.