NEW YORK - A 61-year old Filipino was slashed on his face with a box cutter and was left bleeding inside a subway train while his assailant escaped.

Filipino administrative assistant Noel Quintana said he was on his way to work last Wednesday when the assailant slashed his face from ear to ear for no apparent reason.

“I thought he punched me but I couldn't do anything and when I saw the reaction from the one seated in front of me they were so shocked and that's when I touched my face and saw a lot of blood on my hands," said Quintana.

🚨WANTED for an ASSAULT:On 2/3/21 at approx.8:27 AM,on a Manhattan bound “L” 🚂 The suspect slashed a 61 year old male victim on the right cheek with a box cutter causing physical injuries.Any info call or DM NYPDTips at 800-577-TIPS.Reward up to $2,500. @NYPDDetectives @NYPDShea pic.twitter.com/Uk9f8rVMzt

— NYPD Crime Stoppers (@NYPDTips) February 4, 2021

When nobody helped Quintana, he sought help elsewhere by getting out of the subway train.

Quintana told ABS-CBN News that minutes prior to the slashing incident, he was just minding his business inside a busy subway train when the assailant for no reason started kicking a tot bag he was holding in his hand.

“He started kicking my bag, actually it’s a tote bag, and I don't see any reason why because I don't think it even touches him or something. And when I said what’s wrong with you, and I moved away from him, that's when he slashed me,” he said.

Quintana sought help from a station attendant who called 911 for help. He was brought to a nearby hospital where he received a hundred stitches for his slashed face.

“I was so worried because I don't want to lose so much blood because most of the fatalities would be a loss of blood and I don't want that to happen to me and it's... the blood is really oozing because I was taking like blood thinner,” he said.

The New York City Police Department described the assailant as a 20 to 30-year-old male with black afro hair who was last seen wearing a black jacket, red hoodie, blue jeans, red bandana, light color sneakers, and a brown Louis Vuitton face mask.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio earlier allayed public fears over the spate of shocking subway crimes, including random shoving onto the tracks and slashing of passengers.

“NYPD has done a remarkable job improving safety in the subway over years and years. We're going to go out there and keep making adjustments whenever we need to,” said De Blasio.

But Quintana said authorities should do more to make the city safer.

“It's not (safe)! Because this is already the second time it happened to me. The first time was two years ago I was punched I was walking after my work in Harlem,” he said.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the NYPD’s crimestoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the crimestoppers website at
www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.

“Mahuli siya, mahuli siya and also to be aware that it is not really safe to take the subway,” said Quintana.

A Justice For Noel Quintana zoom rally is scheduled on Wednesday.

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