New York.- A 19-year-old Australian tourist was seriously injured after being stabbed while inside a McDonald’s restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. A 25-year-old man identified as Juan Mercedes was arrested for the incident.
The incident occurred around 2:00 a.m. on Monday at an establishment located on Eighth Avenue, near Penn Station, one of the city’s main transportation hubs. According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), the young man was sitting and eating when he sustained stab wounds to his rib area and back.
Officers who arrived at the scene arrested Mercedes, 25, who was subsequently charged with battery. The suspect is a resident of Port Charlotte, Florida. Authorities reminded that the charges constitute accusations and that the detainee maintains the presumption of innocence as the case proceeds through the courts.
The Australian tourist, who was staying near the place where the attack occurred, was rushed to Bellevue Hospital. His condition was reported as stable.
Australian tourist attacked
Initial investigations into the attack on the Australian tourist indicate that there was no prior interaction between the victim and the detainee before the assault occurred, which is why authorities are investigating the case as an apparent unprovoked attack.
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The case adds to other violent incidents recorded in and around fast-food establishments in different sectors of New York.
In June, a 17-year-old teenager was stabbed inside a Chipotle restaurant in Midtown West, while in January another young person was wounded with a bladed weapon during an argument at a McDonald’s in Times Square.
Serious episodes have also been recorded in other counties. In February, a 16-year-old teenager died and two other minors were injured during a shooting that occurred after a fight related to a McDonald’s in The Bronx.
Australian tourist stable
The authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack on the Australian tourist and have not reported, so far, on a possible motive behind the assault.
