A New York City doorman was slashed across the face by a man who allegedly attempted to rob a disabled person in the Upper East Side early Saturday, according to the New York Post.
The doorman, Brian Smith, 58, was steering the wheelchair user into The Fontaine, a cooperative residential building on East 72nd Street, just after 3 a.m. A man in a black sweatshirt, hat and face mask then reportedly approached them and asked for directions to the subway, the New York Post report stated. Smith responded, and the masked stranger allegedly slashed the doorman from nose to cheek.
Smith made his way to the security desk and dialed 911. He was rushed to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where over 20 stitches were applied to close the nine-inch gash he sustained, per the report. The slashing had missed Smith’s jugular vein by inches, though an artery had to be sewn back together. (RELATED: 5-Year-Old Reportedly Shot Near Memorial Service Of Man Gunned Down The Day Before)
A UES doorman got slashed in the face Saturday night by someone who was following a tenant in an attempt to rob them. pic.twitter.com/U67x7iQqOM
— Upper East Side Doorman (@EastSideDoorman) June 26, 2023
Surveillance footage reportedly showed the masked attacker had been stalking the disabled Fontaine resident from an ATM, the report noted.
Smith had only recently returned to his work of twenty years as a doorman following his battle with cancer and bereavement when the incident occurred. He is now seeking psychological support, saying he felt “violated” and could see “no justification for [the attack],” the report added.
Residents of The Fontaine were reportedly shaken by the incident and were raising money to help Smith with his recovery and time out of work. The property service workers union, 32BJ Building Service Employees International Union (SEIU), was also offering support for Smith’s recovery, according to the report.