Police say four homeless men were killed early Saturday morning in New York City’s Chinatown, and a person of interest is in custody.
According to authorities, at about 1:50 a.m., police responded to reports of an assault on Bowery and East Broadway.
Police located an unconscious man in his 60’s lying in the street on Bowery with severe head trauma. Three other men were found on East Broadway.
Authorities said all four were pronounced dead at the scene.
Another man approached police with head injuries and was transported to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Hospital in critical condition.
According to Chief of Manhattan South Detectives Michael Baldassano, the victims appeared to have been sleeping when the attacks occurred.
Witnesses told police they saw a man hitting the victims with a metal object numerous times.
According to assistant chief of NYPD Manhattan South, Stephen J. Hughes, a search was done in the area, and police found a 24-year-old man who matched the witnesses’ description and who is also believed to be homeless. The man was taken into custody without incident. Police also recovered a metal object, described as a pipe.
Baldassano said the attacks appeared to be random as no one was targeted by race, age, or anything of that nature.
Police urge witnesses who may have seen the assaults or any other potential victims to come forward.
