N.Y. Employees Attacked with Machete, Hammer, Folding Chair in Separate Incidents

New York, NY (WorkersCompensation.com) – It was a pretty violent week in New York last week, as several employees found themselves attacked with everything from a machete to a folding chair in separate incidents.   

On August 12, authorities said a gun purchase took a violent turn when a customer went after an employee with a machete in a Long Island Dick’s Sporting Goods store.   

Police said Treyvius Tunstall, 22, visited a Dick’s in Bay Shore, N.Y. on Friday afternoon, where he purchased a machete, a knife and a backpack. Tunstall asked employees there about buying guns, but was told he would have to go to the company’s Patchogue location to purchase rifles.   

Tunstall then visited the Patchogue store, entering around 3:15 p.m., police said. When he asked about buying a rifle, an employee informed him he would have to get a background check, at which time, Tunstall walked away, police said.   

After leaving the rifle area, police said, Tunstall allegedly walked to the store’s emergency exit and attacked a store assistant manager who was moving a ladder. The employee suffered injuries to the torso, arms and head. Tunstall then allegedly hit a customer in the head with the back of the machete, before leaving the building and attacking another customer in the parking lot.   

Emergency responders attended to the assistant manager, tying a tourniquet around the employee’s arm to stop the bleeding. The attack resulted in severed tendons in the arm. Police said the tourniquet may have saved the employee’s life. They were listed in serious condition at Stony Brook Memorial Hospital as of Saturday, according to Newsday, and are expected to survive.  

Police are continuing to investigate the attack, but have not yet determined any motive. On Saturday, during his first court appearance, Tunstall pleaded not guilty and was held on $400,000 cash bail or $800,00 bond.   

On Thursday morning, a Metropolitan Transit Authority worker was violently attacked by a man harassing straphangers in a Bronx subway station, authorities said.   

New York Police Department officials said Anthony Nelson was working inside the Pelham train station when someone told him that subway riders were being harassed outside of the station. When the subway cleaner went to help, the suspect, 49-year-old Alexander Wright, threw him to the ground, injuring his right shoulder and breaking his nose and collarbone. Still, Nelson was able to hold Wright down until police arrived.   

Nelson was taken in for surgery Friday, but more surgery may be needed, his family told Bronx News 12. 

"We need to stop these assaults, our people did not come to this job to end up in the hospital, we came here to transport people to work,” said Tony Utano, president of the Transport Workers Union.  

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said it was time to pass legislation that would help the innocent.   

"Our streets must be safe, we're passing laws for those who commit crimes, it's time to make sure we pass laws and do the right thing for the innocent people of this city,” he said after visiting Nelson in the hospital.  

NYC Transit President Richard Davey released a statement saying, "Any assault on a transit worker is outrageous and unacceptable. We've said it before, if you commit a crime in the transit system, you will be caught and face justice. We are grateful for the NYPD's rapid arrest in this case." 

Wright was arrested and charged with two counts of assault and one count of harassment.   

On August 6, a masked man attacked a New York City Parks employee with a chair, police said.   

Police said the attack was unprovoked.  

According to reports, a 38-year-old female Parks employee was cleaning the front of the Betsy Head Pool in Brooklyn with a leaf blower around 8 a.m. when she was hit in the head multiple times with a metal folding chair.   

The attacker, police said, was masked and dressed all in black. After the attack, the suspect ran off, police said.   

The victim was taken to nearby Brookdale Hospital “conscious and breathing,” Parks officials said.   

Other city employees said they heard the woman scream. The attackers, the witnesses said, came out of nowhere and hit the employee from behind.   

“She was in shock. She wasn’t saying sh–,” the victim’s co-worker told The Post. The employee said he heard another employee yelling “don’t do that” but “it was too late. He already came up and hit her with a chair. I feel sorry for her.”  

Parks officials condemned the attack.   

“Our staff suffering violent assaults is simply appalling” said Crystal Howard, a Parks spokeswoman. “We are actively cooperating with the NYPD on their investigation of the matter.”  

No arrests were made at the time.   

And on August 4, a 70-year-old laundromat worker was attacked with a hammer, police said.   

The NYPD said they are looking for the suspect.   

According to police reports, a man entered the 98th St. laundromat just before 5 a.m. Once inside, police said, he approached the back of the business and attempted to steal several items for sale at the store.   

Police said the 70-year-old employee approached him to stop him, but the would-be robber picked up a nearby hammer belonging to the laundromat and hit the employee with it approximately four times in the head. After hitting the employee, the attacker dropped the items he was trying to steal and ran off on foot with the hammer.   

The victim was treated for lacerations to his head. The attacker has not been caught. Police have released video of the assault in hopes that someone will recognize the attacker and come forward.  

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