Disturbing video footage captures the distressing aftermath of a random subway slashing incident in Manhattan. The victim, a 28-year-old woman, can be heard screaming in agony and pleading for help as other passengers seemingly continue with their activities without intervening.
In the video, the victim, visibly injured, can be seen following her assailant through the train car while recording him on her phone. This footage played a crucial role in helping the police identify and apprehend the suspect.
The perpetrator calmly walks away into the next train car, while commuters observe the distraught victim. At one point, the victim shows her blood-soaked sandal, emphasizing the severity of her injuries and desperately urging someone to call 911.
The attack occurred around 4:30 p.m. on a southbound No. 4 train near the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall station. This incident was one of three unprovoked slashing attacks that took place within a span of fewer than 20 minutes.
The victim recounted the ordeal to ABC7-News, stating that she was texting her boyfriend on the train when an unknown individual walked past her and slashed her. Initially, she didn't feel the pain due to the shock, but her immediate response was to record the attacker and document the blood flowing from her wounds.
Another video shows an individual wearing white shoes standing in front of the injured woman before walking past her, but it remains unclear whether this person was the attacker.
On Tuesday, the police arrested Kemal Rideout, the alleged serial slasher responsible for the attacks. Rideout, 28, faces three counts of felony assault against three different women, including the victim who recorded the video after being slashed. At his arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court, he was ordered to be held without bail.
The victim's mother commended her daughter's courage, describing her as a hero for capturing the attacker on video while enduring her wounds. However, she expressed concern for her daughter's mental well-being and emphasized the need for therapy to address the trauma.
Rideout has a history of prior arrests dating back to 2008, including charges of attempted rape, assault, criminal mischief, and forcible touching. He also has a documented history of mental illness and has previously been found "not responsible" due to mental disease or defect in several cases.
In the initial attack, Rideout targeted Bianchelly Diplan, 19, at the 86th Street and Lexington Avenue station on the Upper East Side. He then attacked a second woman at the same station before boarding the train. Diplan, who required 19 stitches to close her leg wound, described the shock of being attacked from behind on the stairs.
The suspect also allegedly slashed a second woman at an uptown station, resulting in a severe wound that necessitated 48 stitches. However, the victim from the downtown attack sustained the most serious injuries, requiring a tourniquet to close the gash before being rushed to Bellevue Hospital. She received treatment for the wound and was later released.
Rideout's arrest occurred on Tuesday when he was removed from an MTA bus in Harlem after attempting to evade the fare.
