US: Teenage girls stabbed on Christmas at Grand Central by man shouting: ‘Want all white people dead’

Two teenage girls were randomly stabbed by a man while enjoying a Christmas morning meal with their parents at a Grand Central Terminal restaurant on Monday (Dec 25). The attacker undertook the stabbings, shortly after ranting that he wanted "all white people dead".

According to the authorities, the girls, 14- and 16-year-olds were visiting the US from South America and enjoying a meal with their parents at Tartinery in the Grand Central Dining Concourse around noon.

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The attacker identified as 36-year-old Steven Hutcherson reportedly got into an altercation with restaurant workers who were trying to remove him from the establishment.

Hutcherson arrived at the restaurant and said he wanted a table but wasn't going to order anything. Upon being refused, he became agitated and pointed to the victims' family, arguing that they weren't eating anything either.

“I want all the white people dead. I want to sit next to the crackers," he yelled before proceeding to grab a knife and stabbing the two teenagers.

The older one was stabbed in the back while the younger suffered a knife wound in the thigh, the police said.Both teenagers were taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment and released a day later.

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Hutcherson's extensive rap sheet

According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Hutcherson has been booked on felony counts of assault, attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon and misdemeanour endangering the welfare of a child.

Notably, Hutcherson has had an extensive rap sheet with 17 arrests. The police documents reveal he has been classified as an “emotionally disturbed person” in previous skirmishes with the authorities.

Prior to the Christmas arrest, he was apprehended on November 7 for allegedly threatening to “shoot” a stranger in the Bronx.

“I’m gonna shoot you. I don’t care what kind of green card the government gave you,” he said, according to the criminal complaint against him. “Open your mouth and say something. I will shoot you right now.”

(With inputs from agencies)