Justice · Midtown stabbingMidtown Manhattan stabbing: Victim returned within 24 hours; woman still soughtAired October 23, 2026 at 4:53 PM UTCWritten October 23, 2026 at 4:58 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:07A stabbing victim returned to the Diamond District less than 24 hours after the0:11attack.0:12Police were still searching for the woman accused of stabbing the 26-year-old0:15Hasidic Jewish man.0:17Their hate crimes task force is investigating.0:20Investigators still have to determine what she used and whether religious bias drove0:23the attack.0:24Police say the woman stabbed him in the back as he tried to walk away.0:27He was outside a building on West 47th Street near Fifth Avenue in Manhattan's0:32Diamond District shortly before 6 Wednesday evening.0:35The man was wearing traditional Hasidic Jewish clothing.0:38Police describe the woman as being in her 40s and say she fled after the attack.0:42The victim told investigators she approached him and began making harassing0:45statements before he tried to leave.0:47Surveillance footage shows a woman following and crowding him on a busy sidewalk.0:52At one point, she appears to thrust her hand toward his back.0:55He then runs across the street and disappears from view.0:58Manhattan's Shamrim Safety Patrol also circulated security footage of the encounter.1:03The apparent weapon isn't visible.1:05Another camera angle appears to show the woman approaching another man in Hasidic1:08Jewish clothing minutes earlier.1:10Witnesses said he got away.1:12That earlier encounter gives investigators another interaction to examine.1:16Doctors determined that an unknown sharp object caused the wound.1:19Investigators believe it was a syringe, but they haven't confirmed that1:23identification.1:24The visible hand movement doesn't tell us what the woman was holding.1:27The man was taken to a hospital in stable condition.1:30By the next day, he was back in the neighborhood.1:32His return is the latest update on how he's doing, though there's no newer medical1:36assessment describing his recovery or any continuing treatment.1:39Police placed the attack on October 21st.1:41The victim returned on October 22nd, less than 24 hours later.1:45By the morning of October 23rd, officers were still looking for the woman.1:50No arrest or file charge had been confirmed.1:52An October 22 date also circulated with community security footage that conflicts1:57with the Wednesday police chronology.1:59The reason for the different date isn't clear.2:02and it shouldn't be treated as evidence of another attack on this victim.2:05The victim told investigators the woman was speaking Russian.2:08Police hadn't resolved whether she was speaking Russian or English, or exactly what2:12she said.2:13Without the words or a reliable translation, her reported language tells us nothing2:17about whether she expressed religious hostility.2:19New York's hate crime framework requires an underlying offense and a connection to2:23bias.2:24One provision covers deliberately choosing someone wholly or substantially because2:28of perceived religion or religious practice.2:30Religion doesn't have to be the only reason.2:32The man's visibly Jewish clothing and the apparent earlier approach to another2:36similarly dressed man are circumstances investigators can examine.2:40The task force is investigating a possible hate crime.2:42Police haven't publicly explained the motive and no hate crime charge has been2:46confirmed.2:47A reported citywide tally counts at least 245 anti-Semitic hate crimes in 2026,2:53representing 53% of all reported hate crimes.2:56It's cutoff and underlying official figures haven't been confirmed.2:59Those citywide numbers can't determine the motive here.3:02Identifying the woman would move the case forward.3:04Investigators still need evidence clarifying the object used and what she said.3:09As of the October 23 morning update, police were continuing their search.Explore with HeyDexFollow via RSSThe shortThe short ↗