Homeless man attacks woman with machete, NYPD says

NEW YORK -- A homeless man has been arrested on assault charges after police say he attacked a woman with a machete in Bryant Park Tuesday morning.

Authorities say the suspect started swinging the machete wildly just before noon, and the 31-year-old woman was slashed in the right arm.

The victim, of Korean descent, was taken to Bellevue Hospital to be treated. She is expected to make a full recovery.

The suspect, identified as 43-year old Frederick Young, was taken into custody on the south side of the park, opposite 60 West 40th Street, after Bryant Park security pursued him and put up barricades.

"He goes into the park and he takes a machete and hits a young lady, who had just come from a yoga class," said NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce. "I don't know if she's a tourist or a citizen of New York City."

Witnesses saw Young calmly walking away after slashing the woman twice on her arm.

"I didn't hear her screaming, I just heard everyone around her screaming, and then a gentleman took his shirt off and wrapped up her wound," said witness Carly Smith. "I didn't see the extent of it, but I did see the ambulance come by. There was a lot of blood and she seemed in shock."

Twitter user @michaelmunevar captured video of the scene after the incident.

The machete was recovered at the scene. Those who saw the arrest said the machete was sharp and dangerous.

"It was very sharp, I could tell he had sharpened it up. He also had a screwdriver on him, which I thought was kind of weird," said witness Kyle Newberry.

Young was handcuffed by security officers and held until NYPD officers arrived. Witnesses to the arrest say the suspect surrendered without saying a word.

"He was mumbling something under his breath but the cops were around him so you couldn't really hear anything," said witness Muhaiman Ahamed.

Under the name Frederick Young, the suspect has one prior arrest for menacing with a machete, Boyce said, adding that the suspect has a total of 23 prior arrests.

The attack came as a shock and a surprise to those who often walk through Bryant Park.

"I was just thinking about that guy who's been attacking Asian women and last night he committed suicide, and I was thinking at least the city's a little safer. But when you hear things like this, it's kind of unnerving," said park patron Gianella Domdom.