Top hat stabber (left) wanted for assault on the Bowery; and right: wanted for public lewdness on R the train. (
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Three men are recovering after being attacked by a once common, now rare criminal type of the Bowery: a stovepipe top hat-wearing stabber who cops are trying to apprehend before he strikes again. Details of the assault and subsequent robbery are as follows:
It was reported to police that on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, at approximately 1:13 a.m. in front of the Ripple Room cocktail lounge at 183 Bowery, an unidentified man stabbed a 26-year-old man in the abdomen, a 21-year-old man in the left shoulder, and a 19-year-old man in the left arm.
EMS responded and transported the three victims to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, all in stable condition. The attacker removed a fanny pack from the 26-year-old man and fled on foot northbound on the Bowery.
The individual is described as a man wearing black clothing, black gloves, a black baseball hat, and a black stovepipe top hat.
Located on the northeast corner of Bowery and Delancey Street, the Ripple Room is located on the ground floor of a now anomalous two-story building that previously housed Bowery Restaurant Supply. The building largely faces Delancey Street and is next to the popular music venue, the Bowery Ballroom.
While the year-to-date felony assault numbers in the 5th Precinct are the nearly the same for 2026 and 2025 (213 to 211 incidents), they are up 30.7% since 2023 and a staggering 115.2% since 2010. Felony robbery numbers in the precinct are also up similarly, rising 109.9% since 2010. Rape, burglary, grand larceny and grand larceny auto are all up by smaller amounts over the same period.
The good news: it’s safer than 1993 was.
Public Lewdness on the R Train
Cops are also asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the man wanted in connection with a public lewdness incident that occurred within the confines of the 1st Precinct/Transit District 2. Details are as follows:
It was reported to police that on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, at around 7:30 a.m. an 18-year-old woman was on a northbound R train approaching the Rector Street subway station, when an unidentified man exposed himself and performed a lewd act aka masturbation.
The exhibitionist then fled the location in an unknown direction. There were no injuries reported.
The suspect is described as a Black man likely in his 30s or 40s, with his hair tied up in a top knot. He was last seen wearing a blue sweatshirt, gray shorts and gray sneakers.
Anyone with information regarding these incidents is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted on the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, on X @NYPDTips.