Slasher Strikes On Chelsea Sidewalk; Victim 'Serious,' Suspect On The Loose, Officials Say

CHELSEA, NY — A man was slashed in broad daylight Thursday afternoon along the sidewalk of West 29th Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues, an area mostly populated by office buildings on the border of Chelsea and Midtown.

The attacker managed to escape before cops arrived around 5:30 p.m., an NYPD spokesman told Patch. He is believed to be a black man standing around 6 feet 2 inches tall, police said.

The victim was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in "serious but stable" condition, according to the FDNY. (Officials were unsure of the man's age when reached by Patch.)

Cops immediately taped off the crime scene outside 158 West 29th St. They could be seen interviewing witnesses and corralling office workers who were heading home Thursday night away from a huge mess of blood on the sidewalk. TV news crews were also talking to people at the scene.

The blood splatters appeared to be concentrated in the doorway of a shop called Modern Store Fixtures & Design Inc. A Subway branch is located next door.

According to DNAinfo, the Chelsea slasher was wearing black gloves, a blue shirt and red sneakers when he attacked. (The NYPD could not confirm these details.)

As of 8 p.m. Thursday, police were not releasing any info about the slasher's possible motive.

Photos: Eric Lyons, Patch Staff