A man accused of committing a spree of violent attacks against at least 10 people throughout Manhattan is now in police custody, officials said Sunday.
Police say the suspect walked into the Canal Street subway station Saturday evening and struck three people over the head with a wooden bat. The three victims were waiting at the subway platform when "unprovoked attack" occurred.
The suspect ran from the station and assaulted a woman on the street, police said striking her with the bat near Varick and Canal Street. Then the man allegedly swung at the driver of a nearby parked car. The driver fled by left the keys in the ignition, police said. That's when the suspect allegedly drove off with the car "at a high rate of speed" but eventually lost control and crashed into two cars near Laight Street and 6th Avenue.
Police said the man fled the vehicle and approached a new car, breaking its rear window and attempted to remove the driver inside. When unsuccessfully, police said he turned his attention to a woman driving a nearby Jeep. He broke the side window and again, failed to gain entry into the vehicle.
After two failed carjackings, police say the man approached two pedestrians and struck them with his bat. One of the victims suffered a broken arm while the other had lacerations and a bruised leg.
The man then approached his final victim in a parked vehicle on West Broadway, according to police. He began striking the vehicle, prompting the driver to exit and flee on foot. The suspect jumped inside and drove away.
Shortly after 7 p.m., approximately one hour after the first reported assault, the suspect was spotted near West 24th Street and 12th Avenue. Police said he lost control, struck an NYPD radio vehicle and crashed into a center median on the West Side Highway.
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Responding officers broke the driver side window and used a Taser on the suspect "after he refused multiple lawful orders to comply," police said.
The man was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation. His charges were pending as of Sunday.
