A security guard at the Apple Store on 14th Street in Manhattan was stabbed multiple times on Friday evening following a dispute about mask wearing, according to police reports.
The incident unfolded shortly after 6:30 p.m. inside the busy retail location on W. 14th St. Preliminary investigations indicate that the altercation began when the 37-year-old security guard informed the suspect about the store’s mask policy upon entry. The suspect reportedly refused to comply, leading to a verbal exchange that quickly escalated.
Eyewitness accounts and police statements reveal that the suspect then brandished a sharp object and attacked the security guard. The victim sustained stab wounds to his back, forehead, and left arm. Emergency responders arrived swiftly at the scene and transported the injured security guard to Bellevue Hospital. Authorities have confirmed that he is expected to recover from his injuries.
Roberto Monticello, a witness present at the Apple Store 14th Street during the incident, recounted the aftermath: “I saw him when they took him out on a stretcher… I did see cops running in and running to the back,” highlighting the rapid police response to the scene at Apple store 14th street.
Following the attack at the Apple store 14th street, the suspect immediately fled the premises. Law enforcement believes he entered the 14th St. subway station, which is adjacent to the Apple store 14th street, in an attempt to escape. Police have issued a description of the suspect as a Black male, approximately 5’6″ tall, in his 20s, last seen wearing a black mask, a black sweatshirt, and blue jeans.
The New York Police Department is actively investigating the stabbing at the Apple store 14th street and is currently conducting a search for the suspect. Anyone with information regarding this incident at the Apple store 14th street is urged to contact the authorities to assist in their ongoing investigation. The incident at the Apple store 14th street serves as a stark reminder of the tensions surrounding mask mandates and public safety protocols in retail environments.
