4 held after 3 NYC commuters slashed, another punched in 12-minute blitz on subway

NEW YORK — Four suspects were in custody after a Manhattan subway crime spree in which three riders were slashed and a fourth slugged in a terrifying 12-minute stretch of unprovoked attacks early Friday, police said.

The arrests were announced about 12 hours after a razor-wielding man gashed the victims on the southbound No. 4 train at the urging of an accomplice.

The latest violent outburst of subway crime prompted critics to blast into Mayor Bill de Blasio over the ongoing spate of underground violence.

“City Hall cannot continue to bury its head in the sand any longer,” said Metropolitan Transportation Authority chairman Pat Foye. “We need an immediate injection of police officers on platforms and on subway cars to deter attacks.”

NYPD Transit launched an immediate manhunt, tweeting that detectives “are pursuing all leads & these criminals will be brought to justice,” with the suspects taken into custody later in the day.

The incidents began around 4:30 a.m. when the suspects slashed a 45-yearold man across the cheek as their train pulled into the Union Square station, cops said.

The victim jumped off the train and called police, with the suspects remaining onboard to slash a 40-yearold man and punch a 41year-old man, cops said.

The two victims exited the train at the Astor Place station, and the assailants continued.

The trio then demanded money from a 44-year-old subway rider, who was slashed in the back and robbed of his cellphone even after surrendering some cash, cops said. That victim left the train at the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall stop, as did the three suspects.