A night out in the Meatpacking District turned into chaos on May 2 when three people were slashed in a knife attack outside the Brass Monkey bar, prosecutors say. A 57-year-old man allegedly targeted two young women, hurled derogatory remarks, then chased one of them before turning his knife on bystanders who rushed in to help. Witnesses wrestled him to the ground and held him until police arrived.
Prosecutors Detail A Violent Street Confrontation
According to the New York Post, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office says James Washington approached two young women outside the bar and made cutting comments about their appearance before the situation turned physical. Assistant District Attorney Jesus Castaneda told Manhattan Supreme Court that Washington chased one of the women and pulled her to the ground, triggering a scramble as people nearby tried to intervene.
Prosecutors say Washington then slashed at those would-be rescuers. Three people were ultimately wounded, according to the DA's office. One bystander was critically injured and required a chest tube, a second underwent surgery, and a third suffered cuts to the chest and a hand. Witnesses managed to restrain Washington at the scene until officers arrived and took him into custody, the Post reports.
Busy Meatpacking Corner Turns Into Crime Scene
The attack unfolded just outside Brass Monkey at 55 Little West 12th Street in the Meatpacking District, a nightlife-heavy stretch near the High Line. Business listings and licensing records confirm the bar’s address, per MapQuest. On weekends the block is typically packed with barhoppers and late-night crowds, which on this night suddenly found themselves in the middle of a violent emergency.
Indictment, Not Guilty Plea And Bail Fight
Prosecutors say Washington was indicted on multiple charges connected to the May 2 attack and entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment, according to the New York Post. In Manhattan Supreme Court, Judge Gregory Carro set bail at $15,000. Prosecutors had pushed for $100,000, while the Post notes Washington had previously been held on $5,000 at an earlier appearance.
The court scheduled Washington’s next appearance for July 29, where the case is expected to continue to play out in what is already a high-anxiety incident for a neighborhood that is used to late-night noise, not knife attacks.
