NYC security officer throat slashed by man found urinating
EAST VILLAGE, Manhattan NY January 24 2024
A security guard at an East Village church slashed in the throat after asking a stranger to stop urinating on a parked car was back at work a day after the incident.
Sporting a gruesome scar from the wound that nearly killed him, the security officer said he felt that he had to return to work to continue protecting others.
John Mach, 56, works as a groundskeeper and security guard at the Immaculate Conception Church in the East Village. One of Mach’s coworkers at the church saw a man urinating on a car outside, which led Mach and another security guard to go after him, according to police.
Mach found the man at a nearby McDonald’s on East 14th Street, where they got into a confrontation, according to police. Mach was slashed in the neck with a box cutter, police said. He suffered a severe neck wound and needed 16 stitches from his ear to his chin.
So far, no arrests have been made in the case, but a person of interest has been identified in video, police said.
Around the neighborhood along East 14th Street, residents have been complaining of retail theft, panhandling and emotionally disturbed people.
New York City Council member Carlina Rivera, who represents the East Village and other nearby neighborhoods, said addressing public safety concerns at East 14th Street and First Avenue is a top priority for her office.
“I have brought resources to this block, including homeless outreach, additional sanitation services, and harm reduction from Bellevue Hospital, and am appreciative of the efforts of the 9th and 13th Precincts for their work in the area,” Rivera said in a statement. “This problem demands a comprehensive and holistic solution, and I look forward to working collaboratively with the Mayor’s Office on addressing the ongoing challenges on this thoroughfare.”
