5 people injured in series of 'unprovoked' stabbings in NYC; man arrested, reports say

A man was arrested and charged with attempted murder in connection with several unprovoked stabbings in Queens, New York, according to multiple reports citing police. 

Several outlets reported 27-year-old Jermain Rigueur was arrested in the attacks. NYPD did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.

At a press conference on Wednesday, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said police believe the same man was responsible for at least five stabbings across Queens in a little over a week.

"We have an unidentified individual who's walking around the street randomly stabbing people with a hunting knife. There's no connection between individuals, and it seems to be unprovoked," NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said. 

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Attacks took place in less than 10 days

Authorities said the first attack took place on Jan. 9. A 61-year-old man was stabbed in the lower back in the Springfield Gardens neighborhood of Queens.

"In this incident, the suspect actually laughed in the victim's face after he stabbed him," NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said. 

On Tuesday, Jan. 16, a 34-year-old woman was stabbed by a man who approached her after she got off the bus several blocks away from the site of the Jan. 9 attack.

"A male suddenly ran up behind her, and she describes being punched in the back. But she soon realizes that she was stabbed in her right side," Kenny said. 

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One day later, on Wednesday, three more people were stabbed. Two people, a 74-year-old man who was taking his wife to work, and a 41-year-old man, were stabbed in the same area. A 36-year-old man who got into an argument with the suspect over a bus seat was also stabbed, police said.

All five victims are expected to recover. 

Rigueur's arrest came just hours after police released surveillance footage of the suspect. Police said the suspect could be seen wearing his work ID on a lanyard during the attacks, but police were not able to make out what the lanyard said.