Metro

New photo shows maniac suspected of slashing Brazilian tourist’s neck in unprovoked NYC subway attack

A new photo released by the NYPD shows the maniac who police believe slashed a Brazilian tourist in the neck in an unprovoked attack at a Queens subway station last week. 

The surveillance image, made public late Wednesday, pictures the suspected attacker who cops say slashed the 29-year-old man’s neck from behind during the harrowing, random attack at the Queens Plaza station around 10:30 a.m. Feb. 15. 

The man, seen wearing a black vest over a gray hoodie, is standing on the sidewalk and apparently smoking a cigarette. 

The suspect in the Queens Plaza unprovoked subway slashing is pictured smoking a cigarette. NYPD
The assailant attacked the tourist from behind inside the Queens Plaza station, cops said. NYPD

Previously released photos show him near the turnstile area of the station, with his hood pulled up over his head and a ski mask covering the lower half of his face. 

He had not been caught by Thursday afternoon. 

The tourist suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at Elmhurst Hospital, cops said.

NYPD Chief of Transit Mike Kemper vowed to catch the attacker.

The suspect had not been caught by Thursday. NYPD

“We will make an arrest, when we do there needs to be accountability and consequences — swift. We make arrests every day and we find ourselves arresting the same people over and over again,” Kemper told The Post last week.

In an unrelated attack two days later, a thug walked up to a 31-year-old man – who was not a tourist – inside the Queensboro Plaza station and struck him “multiple times” in the head in an unprovoked act of violence, according to police.

The bearded attacker – who also has not been caught – then fled, leaving the victim unconscious.

Transit crime dipped last year but is spiking so far in 2024, the latest stats show. Peter Gerber

Transit crime has been spiking so far in 2024 after dipping last year, NYPD statistics show.

Overall transit crime was up 22.6% since the start of the year through Feb. 11, compared to the same period last year — with felony assaults up more than 10%, according to the data.

The numbers include a more than 39% leap in grand larceny in the system.