Tributes poured in over the weekend for Johnny Medina at his Washington Heights home, blocks away from the West 175th Street subway station where he was stabbed multiple times. Authorities say the 40-year-old got in an argument with his alleged attacker, 24-year-old Diego Figueroa-Hepner, before the violence began.

According to Medina’s family members and police sources, Medina had recently filed a harassment report against Figueroa-Hepner who lived right across the street from him.

“This person was drawn to Johnny…engaged with him and over months built this obsession with him and posting these conspiracies online and cyberbullying him to the point that Johnny felt like he had to make a report,” one of Medina’s cousins, Anthony Reyes, said.

Figueroa-Hepner was charged with murder-intention and criminal possession of a weapon, according to an NYPD spokesperson.

Although they are devastated, loved ones remembered Medina as a beacon of light.

“That’s what really hurts the most is that he was like a river of dreams and ideas and designs,” another cousin Eliana said. “Just that brutal reminder that life is short and you never know when you’ll never get a chance to continue pursuing your dreams.”

The incident occurred around 5:55 p.m. at the A train station at West 175th Street and Fort Washington Avenue in Washington Heights.

The victim, identified as a 40-year-old male, suffered multiple stab wounds to the torso, police said. Emergency medical services transported him to Harlem Hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries.

Law enforcement sources told NBC New York the stabbing was the result of a dispute.

“This was a senseless attack that spilled from the street to the subway, and we are providing full cooperation in the investigation, with confidence the NYPD will rapidly identify and apprehend the perpetrator,” MTA Communications Director Tim Minton said in a statement.

On Saturday, police arrested 24-year-old Diego Figueroa-Hepner. He was charged with murder-intention and criminal possession of a weapon, according to an NYPD spokesperson.

The fires broke out within about an hour of one another. Nearly a half-dozen firefighters were hurt in the SoHo one, officials say, but they’re all expected to be OK. Four suffered minor injuries in the Bronx.

“We are lucky this happened so early in the morning; the heat and humidity hadn’t really kicked in yet. We rotate the members out due to extreme conditions to make sure everybody’s hydrated and doing well while operating at these types of environments,” said Division Chief Mark Bonilla.

Firefighters were first called to Third Avenue near 156th Street in the Bronx around 5 a.m. for a fire in a Dunkin’ Donuts that appeared to have spread to other businesses. It’s not clear what sparked the fire, but it was out within a few hours.

The fire destroyed a row of four or five businesses in the Melrose neighborhood, including a Chinese restaurant, a smoke shop, a furniture store and an electronics store, in addition to the Dunkin’. An investigation by fire marshals was ongoing, and inspectors with the Department of Buildings were also at the scene to scout for any possible structural damage to the commercial building.

Over in SoHo, about an hour later, firefighters were called to a five-story luxury building on Broome Street for a rooftop fire. That fire spewed thick black smoke into the air that could be seen from miles away.

The cause is under investigation.

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Assamad Nash, 27, also pleaded guilty to burglary as a sexually motivated felony in the Feb. 13, 2022, attack on 35-year-old Christina Yuna Lee, in which police said Nash stabbed the victim more than 40 times in the neck and torso.

“Today Assamad Nash was held accountable for senselessly taking Christina Yuna Lee’s life after he followed her into her own home,” District Attorney Bragg said in a statement. Bragg said his thoughts “are with her family and our community as they continue healing from this tragedy.”

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Prosecutors said Lee was returning home from a Saturday night out when Nash followed her into her Chrystie Street building in Chinatown and up six flights of stairs to her apartment. The building’s landlord said that Nash “mercilessly stalked” his victim, and images obtained by NBC New York showed him following her up the stairs.

As Lee entered the apartment, Nash pushed his way inside and attempted to sexually assault her, prosecutors said.

“She opened the door and he just slipped in right behind her. She never even knew he was there,” Lee’s landlord, Brian Chin, previously told NBC New York.

Lee’s screams pierced through the building just after 4 a.m., which led two young women who live across the hall to call 911. Officers got to the building in three minutes.

Prosecutors said Lee was still alive when officers arrived in the building, as they could hear her cries and screams for help, but the door was barricaded. Police had to break the apartment’s steel door down to get inside, and got inside as Lee went silent. They found Nash hiding under a mattress and Lee dead in the bathroom with at least 40 stab wounds; the alleged murder weapon was under a dresser.

Officials familiar with the case said Nash had five prior felonies and three pending court cases on various matters.

Leaders of New York’s Asian American community feared that the murder of Lee, who was Korean American, was part of a wave of anti-Asian violence during the coronavirus pandemic, but Nash was not ultimately charged with a hate crime.

Just five weeks before the alleged killing, Nash had been caught jamming dozens of MetroCard machines in early January. He was released without bail and granted supervised release, but was not ordered to undergo psychological examination by mental health professionals, which could have led to him being recommended for professional treatment.

Nash, who had previously been found unfit to stand trial following a psychiatric examination, is expected to be sentenced to 30 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on July 30. Attorney information for Nash was not immediately available.

Officers responded to a call about a grand larceny auto in progress on West 134th Street shortly before 9 a.m., just outside of the Chloe Day School.

A father had double parked outside the school to bring his 4-year-old daughter in, leaving his younger daughter in the SUV. The school’s director said the father was inside for maybe a minute.

“He ran back out to the car then ran back in and said the car was stolen,” said Dr. Sanayi Beckles-Canton. “He was very upset. We were all screaming, crying. Other parents helped, ran outside, looked around.”

NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said that video showed a man “lurking across the street” jump in the car and take off.

“We were able to track that phone. We called it, presumably suspect picks up, tells us where he was and says sorry,” Chell said.

Police described the vehicle as a red/burgundy Honda Pilot with New York state plates. About 40 minutes later, officers caught up with the car on the Upper East Side. Chopper 4 captured a swarm of NYPD vehicles around the vehicle.

A man was taken into custody at East 72nd Street near First Avenue. The child was found unharmed and safe.

Police vehicles were seen blocking off bridges and tunnels as authorities searched.

Tuesday’s incident was the second time in just a matter of days that a car was stolen in the city with a child inside. On Saturday, a 6-month-old was found safe after a car was taken in the Bronx. Police tracked down that car and made an arrest.

It’s not clear what prompted the gunfire at West 207th Street and 10th Avenue, not far from the Inwood-207th Street station, shortly before midnight. Cops responding to multiple 911 calls encountered three victims.

A 44-year-old man had been shot in the face; a 40-year-old man was shot in the chest and a 37-year-old man was shot in the leg. The two men in their 40s both died. No arrests have been made.

Authorities say the suspect is described as a man wearing black and a ski mask who ran eastbound on West 206th Street after the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

According to police, three men used an accelerant on Wednesday to light flags on fire outside of the consulate on 2nd Avenue in midtown Manhattan.

Wanted flyers were posted to X by NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry, who referred to the three three suspects as “cowards.”

Jahki Lodgson-McCray was arrested the same day, police said. The 20-year-old man from New Jersey faces charges of reckless endangerment, menacing and disorderly conduct. A message was left for his attorney seeking comment.

The consulate posted images of the reported burning on X, identifying the three suspects as “a mob” that burned American and Israeli flags.

“This act shows that hatred towards Israel always accompanies anti-American sentiment. The NYPD has increased security efforts around the consulate to ensure the safety of our community,” the post read.

The burning came a day after vandals hit the homes of the Brooklyn Museum‘s Jewish director and some board members.

New York City is not exactly known for having ludicrously capacious living situations (at least for most people), but Queens appears to take it to another level. The borough has the smallest new apartments on average among each of the five boroughs, and the third-smallest in the country overall, according to a report from the real estate site RentCafe.

So just how small are the Queens apartments? At 692 square feet on average, new apartments there are slightly smaller than the ones found in Brooklyn, which on average measure out to 712 square feet.

Both boroughs have seen the size of the average new apartment there shrink over the past 10 years, according to RentCafe. Queens’ apartments have lost 32 square feet on average, a decline of 4.4% in the past decade. In Brooklyn, the shrink is a bit smaller: About 21 square feet smaller, a loss of about 2.9% of space.

Among major U.S. cities, only Seattle and Portland average smaller apartment sizes. The average new apartment in Seattle is 661 square feet, while Portland’s is 685 square feet.

Not far behind Queens and Brooklyn is Manhattan, where the average new apartment is 737 square feet — which is actually an increase of 2.2% from a decade ago, adding 16 square feet, RentCafe found. Manhattan had the sixth-smallest new apartment size, behind Detroit.

Two cities in New Jersey also made the list: With new apartments averaging 788 square feet, Jersey City was ranked 15th on the list, while Newark was 20th. The Garden State’s largest city actually saw the average new apartment size increase pretty dramatically since 2014, adding 113 square feet, up more than 16%.

Looking for a bit more room? Head to Gainesville, Florida, where the average new apartment there is just under 1,200 square feet, according to RentCafe. It was one of five Florida cities to make the list with the largest new apartments.

The gunfire rang out around 12:30 p.m. Thursday on the ninth floor of the Johnson Houses near the corner of East 112th Street and Lexington Avenue, police said.

A 40-year-old mother and her 19-year-old son were gunned down inside the apartment, both suffering multiple gunshot wounds. They were taken to Harlem Hospital, where they were expected to survive.

Police later said the man who pulled the trigger is the mother’s ex-boyfriend. The 45-year-old was also taken to Harlem Hospital, according to police, where he was clinging to life after suffering multiple gunshot wounds as well.

Police believe the man shot the mother and son before turning the gun on himself. Further information was not immediately available.

The teen, also 16, was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with second-degree murder. His arrest comes just under a month after 19-year-old Henry Thomas was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Harlem in connection with the deadly shooting of Mahki Brown on May 7 in SoHo, police said.

Brown was killed in the outdoor Urban Plaza, a public courtyard space on private property between two buildings on Spring Street, when multiple people rode up on Citi bikes, police said. One of the individuals took out a gun, shooting Brown in the back of the head and twice in the leg, police said.

It is believed some sort of dispute broke out between the two groups before the shots were fired.

Brown was rushed to the hospital, but died from his injuries. It was not immediately clear if he was the intended target.

The suspects took off on the Citi bikes immediately after. A photo shared with NBC New York showed two people on a Citi bike — one pedaling and one seated in the bike’s front basket — who were suspected to be involved in the shooting. It is believed those two individuals are the the two teens have been arrested.

Attorney information for either of the teens facing charges was not immediately clear.

Surveillance cameras captured the chain of events, starting with a shirtless man stumbling into Milo Coffee Shop on Amsterdam Avenue around 6 p.m. Tuesday, and heading toward the back. Someone appearing to have been chasing him stops at the door. A short time later, a group of males enters the store and one of them stabs him in the neck.

Ultimately, he was stabbed several times. Witnesses reported multiple young people with knives at the scene.

Dramatic surveillance footage shows workers and a customer trying to fight them off, wielding chairs and fists as they push one male with a knife out of the shop. Two women working at the store hopped the counter, where a small child hid, in an apparent bid to get help from a nearby business. Ultimately, workers forced the group out of the shop.

The 39-year-old victim was initially taken to a hospital in critical condition and was later upgraded to stable condition. There was no immediate update on his status available Wednesday.

No arrests have been made in the case.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

Cops responding to a 911 call of an assault in progress on West 40th Street, outside the transit hub, found the 22-year-old victim stabbed in the chest. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Her name has not been released.

No arrests have been made, and police haven’t released a description of the suspect. It’s not clear what prompted the dispute.

Anyone with information on the deadly attack is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

The former president was quizzed by a New York City probation officer for a report, required by law, that trial judge Juan M. Merchan can use to help determine Trump’s punishment when he is sentenced July 11 in his hush money criminal case.

Monday’s interview was conducted privately by video conferencing. Under state law, the resulting report — which may also include information about Trump’s conviction, his social, family and employment history, and his education and economic status — will remain confidential unless the judge authorizes its public release.

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Trump’s lawyers and prosecutors will be provided copies, but that doesn’t typically happen until just before sentencing. Both sides can also submit their own paperwork to Merchan making the case for how they feel Trump should be punished.

Merchan has discretion to impose a wide range of punishments following Trump’s May 30 conviction for falsifying business records to cover up a potential sex scandal, ranging from probation and fines to up to four years in prison.

After declining to testify at the trial, Trump was required by law to participate in Monday’s presentencing interview — doing so by video from his residence at the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, with his lawyer Todd Blanche by his side.

The arrangement garnered complaints of special treatment for a famous defendant, but city officials contended that was not the case and said such accommodations are available to anyone subject to a presentencing interview.

Typically, people convicted of crimes in New York meet with probation officials face-to-face for their required presentence interviews and aren’t allowed to have lawyers with them. After Blanche balked about Trump being made to answer questions alone, Merchan granted the defense lawyer permission to sit in on Trump’s interview.

The city’s public defenders on Monday criticized what they said were “special arrangements” for Trump and urged the probation department to “ensure that all New Yorkers, regardless of income, status, or class, receive the same pre-sentencing opportunities.”

“All people convicted of crimes should be allowed counsel in their probation interview, not just billionaires,” four of the city’s public defender organizations said in a statement. “This is just another example of our two-tiered system of justice.”

“Pre-sentencing interviews with probation officers influence sentencing, and public defenders are deprived of joining their clients for these meetings. The option of joining these interviews virtually is typically not extended to the people we represent either,” said the statement from the Legal Aid Society, Bronx Defenders, New York County Defender Services and Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem.

A spokesperson for the city, which runs the probation department, said defendants have had the option of conducting their presentencing interviews by video since before the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. Ivette Dávila-Richards, a deputy press secretary for Mayor Eric Adams, said all defendants can also request to have their lawyers present for the interviews, as long as the judge in their case signs off.

“Trump has not been given any special treatment,” Dávila-Richards said. “He is being treated as any defendant convicted of a crime. It’s just since he’s so high-profile, everyone is making it bigger than what it is.”

A message seeking comment was left with a spokesperson for the state court system.

Presentence reports are designed to assist a trial judge in determining an appropriate sentence for a person convicted of a crime. Such reports are typically prepared by a probation officer, a social worker or a psychologist working for the probation department who interviews the defendant and possibly that person’s family and friends, as well as people affected by the crime.

Along with a defendant’s personal history and criminal record, they often contain a sentencing recommendation. The interview is also a chance for a defendant to say why they think they deserve a lighter punishment, and the city’s probation department encourages defendants to provide documentation that they believe would assist in the process.

A jury convicted Trump of 34 counts of falsifying business records arising from what prosecutors said was an attempt to hide a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election. She claims she had a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier, which he denies.

Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has vowed to appeal his conviction — though by law he must wait until after he is sentenced to do so. He says he is innocent of any crime and says the case was brought to hurt his chances to regain the White House.

Authorities responding to a call about a stabbing at The Gutter NYC on Essex Street on the Lower East Side around 1:45 a.m. encountered the injured victim.

Police say they are looking for three potential suspects.

It wasn’t clear what prompted the stabbing, nor was it known if the victim knew his attackers. No description of them was immediately available.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

Maripily Rivera, affectionately known as the “Huracán Boricua,” will join the group of honorees at the parade.

The Puerto Rican actress and model arrives in New York after winning the fourth season of the successful Telemundo show, “La Casa de los Famosos,” thanks to winning over the viewers and earning their votes.

With more than 25 years in the art world, she has participated in many successful reality shows and television productions.

When is the parade and where is it

The parade begins at 11:00 a.m. and stretches along the iconic stretch of Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue between 44th and 79th Streets. This year’s parade celebration is dedicated to the municipality of San Germán, Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican communities of Hawaii. Affectionately known as “The City of the Lomas” and founded in 1511, San Germán is the second-oldest municipality in Puerto Rico and one of its first Spanish settlements.

The parade will feature several of your favorite Telemundo 47 reporters and will be broadcast on our sister station’s website.

For more details on the event, click here.

Now in its 67th year, the parade will go up Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 79th Street starting at 11 a.m. This year it acknowledges the municipality of San Germán, Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican communities of Hawaii.

Affectionately known as “The City de las Lomas” and founded in 1511, San Germán is the second-oldest municipality in Puerto Rico and one of its first Spanish settlements.

Parade organizers and Mayor Eric Adams held a Puerto Rican flag-raising ceremony at Bowling Green Park in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday to officially kick off parade week.

“The tributes to the people of San Germán and the Puerto Rican community in Hawaii include the easternmost and westernmost parts of the Puerto Rican communities throughout the United States,” Lillian Rodríguez López, NPRDP Board of Directors President, said in a statement. “Our 2024 theme, Boricua de Corazón, captures our collective feeling that being Puerto Rican is fundamental to our identity and lives in our hearts no matter where we are in the world.”

What is the event about

The National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP) is the largest demonstration of cultural pride in the United States. Now in its 67th year, the parade takes place from 44th Street to 79th Street along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, in honor of the 3.5 million inhabitants of Puerto Rico and over 5 million people residing in the United States.

Street Closures

The following streets will be closed for the National Puerto Rican Day Parade on Sunday June 9, 2024 at the discretion of the NYPD in Manhattan.

Formation:

• West/East 44th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• West/East 45th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• West/East 46th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• West/East 47th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• West/East 48th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue

Route:

• 5th Avenue between 42nd Street and 79th Street

Dispersal:

• 5th Avenue between 79th Street and 86th Street
• East 79th Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
• East 80th Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
• East 81st Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
• East 82nd Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
• East 83rd Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
• East 84th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• East 85th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue

Miscellaneous:

• Madison Avenue between East 42nd Street and East 86th Street
• 6th Avenue between West 42nd Street and West 49th Street
• West/East 43rd Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• West/East 42nd Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• West 51st Street between Rockefeller Plaza and 5th Avenue
• West 58th Street between Grand Army Plaza and 5th Avenue
• East 60th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• East 63rd Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• East 64th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• East 66th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• East 69th Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
• East 70th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• East 72nd Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
• East 74th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue

Where can I watch the parade

Telemundo 47, sister station of NBC 4 New York, will stream the parade live on its website here and app.

Important: The parade broadcast will have only ambient sound from the event.

Where can I find more information

You can visit this website.

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A five-foot python was found under a sink inside an Upper West Side apartment, and now police are trying to figure out how it got there and to whom it may belong.

Police responded to calls at 8 a.m. Wednesday to a building on West 87th Street after one person said the snake was under a sink in the apartment. Multiple others had contacted police to report seeing the animal slithering up the exterior of a building and trying to enter a basement apartment.

Officers got to the home and took the snake, a brown and beige colored python, to the ASPCA. Manhattan Animal Care and Control named the python Severus, after the head of the Slytherin House in the “Harry Potter” series. It was being cared for by a foster guardian outside of the city.

The reptile did not appear to be harmed. Bodycam footage showed an officer with the Emergency Service Unit carrying out the sneaky serpent, with the officer’s partner heard saying “he’s starting to constrict you.”

It was not clear where the snake came from or how it got under the sink. Unless the owner has a Dangerous Animal License, it is illegal to own a python (or any constrictor snake) in New York.

An investigation is ongoing.

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The MTA is pushing “pause” indefinitely on New York City’s first-in-the-nation congestion pricing plan at the direction of Gov. Kathy Hochul, she announced in a taped statement Wednesday.

The toll program, years in the making, had been set to roll out later this month. No new start date has been set.

Hochul expressed concerns about the timing and state of city’s post-pandemic recovery. She fears there may be “unintended consequences” on hard-working New Yorkers if the plan were implemented at this point but remains focused on achieving the goals of congestion pricing, which include funding much-needed transit modernization as well as environmental sustainability.

The MTA is expected to circulate a list of projects that could be impacted without known funding, an official briefed on the plans said. Congestion pricing was expected to be a $15 billion windfall for the cash-strapped agency.

Implementing the toll now, though, would hurt everyday people too much, Hochul said. And midtown Manhattan hasn’t recovered to the point where this would be the right time for congestion pricing.

If the tax were implemented now, she says economically-strapped commuters may opt to return to working from home, leaving Manhattan offices, now with a 20% vacancy rate, emptier rather than pay the $15 car toll.

“Circumstances have changed, and we must respond to the facts on the ground, not to the rhetoric from five years ago,” Hochul said.

The MTA deferred to Hochul and her statement.

Asked about the decision Wednesday, Mayor Eric Adams says he’s “all for” analyzing other options if there’s a way to generate the needed capital without impinging on people’s lives.

“We have to get it right. We have to make sure it’s not an undue burden on everyday New Yorkers and we have to make sure it’s not going to impact our recovery,” Adams said. “If she’s looking at analyzing other ways we can do it, I’m all for it.”

According to Politico, the consideration is more politically driven. The website reports Democratic leaders have approached Hochul with their concerns over congestion pricing‘s impact on close U.S. House races.

Transportation Alternatives, a transit advocacy group, was quick to point the finger.

“The next time your train is late, your bus is trapped in traffic, your subway station is still missing an elevator, you know who to blame: Governor Kathy Hochul,” Transportation Alternatives said in a statement. “Transit riders are the majority of New Yorkers – and certainly the majority of New Yorkers of color, low-income New Yorkers, disabled New Yorkers, New Yorkers with children – and today Kathy Hochul sided with powerful special interests instead – just days before this program was slated to go into effect.” 

The first in a series of webinars designed to educate the public on all things congestion pricing had been scheduled for Wednesday. It was postponed indefinitely.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who had staunchly opposed the plan, thanked Hochul for pausing it.

“Although we have had a difference of opinion with our colleagues in New York on congestion pricing implementation, we have always had a shared vision for growing our regional economy, investing in infrastructure, protecting our environment, and creating good-paying jobs on both sides of the Hudson River,” Murphy said in a statement. “We fully embrace the notion that the success of Manhattan is inextricably linked to the prosperity of the entire tri-state area.”

“Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams have been strong, collaborative governing partners and I look forward to continuing to work closely with them for the benefit of all of our residents,” the Democrat added.

How will congestion pricing work?

Congestion pricing will impact any driver entering what is being called the Central Business District (CBD), which stretches from 60th Street in Manhattan and below, all the way down to the southern tip of the Financial District. In other words, most drivers entering midtown Manhattan or below will have to pay the toll, according to the board.

All drivers of cars, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles would be charged the toll. Different vehicles will be charged different amounts — here’s a breakdown of the prices:

• Passenger vehicles: $15
• Small trucks (like box trucks, moving vans, etc.): $24
• Large trucks: $36
• Motorcycles: $7.50

The $15 toll is about a midway point between previously reported possibilities, which have ranged from $9 to $23.

The full, daytime rates will be in effect from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. each weekday, and 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. on the weekends. The board called for toll rates in the off-hours (from 9 p.m.-5 a.m. on weekdays, and 9 p.m. until 9 a.m. on weekends) to be about 75% less — about $3.50 instead of $15 for a passenger vehicle.

Drivers will only be charged to enter the zone, not to leave it or stay in it. That means residents who enter the CBD and circle their block to look for parking won’t be charged.

Only one toll will be levied per day — so anyone who enters the area, then leaves and returns, will still only be charged the toll once for that day.

The review board said that implementing their congestion pricing plan is expected to reduce the number of vehicles entering the area by 17%. That would equate to 153,000 fewer cars in that large portion of Manhattan. They also predicted that the plan would generate $15 billion, a cash influx that could be used to modernize subways and buses.

Can I get a discount?

Many groups had been hoping to get exemptions, but very few will avoid having to pay the toll entirely. That small group is limited to specialized government vehicles (like snowplows) and emergency vehicles.

Low-income drivers who earn less than $50,000 a year can apply to pay half the price on the daytime toll, but only after the first 10 trips in a month.

While not an exemption, there are so-called “crossing credits” for drivers using any of the four tunnels to get into Manhattan. That means those who already pay at the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel, for example, will not pay the full congestion fee. The credit amounts to $5 per ride for passenger vehicles, $2.50 for motorcycles, $12 for small trucks and $20 for large trucks.

Drivers from Long Island and Queens using the Queens-Midtown Tunnel will get the same break, as will those using the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Those who come over the George Washington Bridge and go south of 60th Street would see no such discount, however.

Public-sector employees (teachers, police, firefighters, transit workers, etc.), those who live in the so-called CBD, utility companies, those with medical appointments in the area and those who drive electric vehicles had all been hoping to get be granted an exemption. They didn’t get one.

The city is facing a wave of criticism in the wake of a controversial video shared online that captures a New York City Parks agents trying to arrest a 14-year-old girl for selling fruit from her parent’s alleged unlicensed cart in Battery Park over the weekend.

The video capturing Sunday’s chaos shows an NYPD officer also holding the girl as a crowd of mainly bystanders scream at the officers and physically step in to help the child break free. NBC New York could not independently verify what happened before the recording begins.

A woman, who did not share her name but said was the teen’s aunt, said the agents “were rough with my niece.”

The girl and her parents were back at the same spot selling fruit from an alleged illegal fruit stand in front of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal Monday.

“We’re not here to rob, we’re just here to sell our fruits. That’s it,” the woman who identified herself as the teen’s aunt said in Spanish, adding that’s exactly what the teen’s mom was doing when parks agents and police arrived telling them they had to leave. She says the family complied, and the teen began helping her mom pack up. That’s when she says agents tried to place handcuffs on the girl.

“Yes! Very aggressive because she didn’t do anything,” the woman said. “She just wanted to help her mom. And they aggressively pushed her.”

The video making the rounds on social media has led to fierce criticism of parks agents and police for their handling of a child.

Meanwhile, the city is sending mixed messages.

Mayor Eric Adams said he saw the video and while no one wants to see a teen appear to be abused, the agents were responding to complaints about illegal vending. Saying that the girl’s mother is a repeat offender.

“Illegal vending is not working,” the mayor said. “It’s illegal.”

However, in the six hours NBC New York spent in front of the terminal, we did not see one agent or officer approach any of the half dozen vendors selling fruit and churros. In fact, two police officers walk right by the teen’s parents who say they’ve been back here since this morning.

“Why are we preventing people from earning an income in this country,” said tourist Jessica Blinkhorn, who was visiting from Georgia and was one of the many people we saw purchasing fruit from the vendors.

“Employ people! People want to work. People want jobs,” Blinkhorn said.

A sentiment that Adams then shared, advocating that migrants should be allowed to work legally.

“It is not dignified to have people unable to provide for themselves. Let them work,” he said.

The mayor says the officers’ handling of the teen is being investigated. Meanwhile, the girl’s family says she stayed home from school Monday.

“She’s banged up a little bit. She’s swollen, her hand is swollen .They grabbed her really hard but she’s OK,” the woman who identified as the teen’s aunt said. “It’s a shame, watching what’s going on, it hurt.”

Cyril Destin was indicted Monday on assault, attempted assault and weapon possession charges in the May 11 attack on a 36-year-old woman near the Port Authority Bus Terminal, on the corner of West 43rd Street and Eighth Avenue.

Surveillance video showed Destin sitting on his walker outside a bodega just after 6 p.m. He then stood up and took out a large kitchen knife as the woman walked by him, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said. As she passed him, Destin lunged toward the victim, sinking the weapon into her chest.

After the incident, Destin sat back down on his walker, still holding the knife. The victim stumbled around, stunned from what just happened. She was taken to Bellevue Hospital where she was treated for her injuries.

Destin was taken into custody shortly after.

The Manhattan DA’s office said the woman was visiting the city with her daughter on a school trip.

“When tourists visit New York, they deserve to enjoy our city without fearing for their safety. Cyril Destin jeopardized that by allegedly stabbing a woman who was visiting with her daughter and her daughter’s friend for a school trip,” said Bragg. “I hope the victim continues to heal from this unprovoked attack.” 

New York City is looking to expand access to public restrooms citywide over the next five years.

Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday the launch of the “Ur In Luck” initiative which will build 46 new restrooms and renovate 36 existing ones. Once this plan is completed, 10 additional restrooms are slated for the Bronx, 23 for Brooklyn, 28 in Manhattan, 14 in Queens and seven on Staten Island — an addition to the nearly 1,000 public restrooms already in existence across the five boroughs, the city said.

Additionally, the city said, the 36 existing restrooms that will undergo renovations ranging from additional stalls to accessibility upgrades to energy efficient features.

Part of the “Ur In Luck” initiative is a new Google Maps layer that New Yorkers can activate on their phones to easily find the locations of every public restroom citywide.

The Google Maps layer — which will be updated biannually— will include restrooms operated by NYC Parks, DOT, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the city’s ‘privately-owned public spaces,’ and all three of the city’s library systems — the New York Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the Queens Public Library.

“Part of making New York City a more livable city is tackling the little things — the things we don’t think about until we need them,” Adams said. “Access to public restrooms is high on that list, maybe even number one or two. We’ve already added changing tables to all NYC Parks public restrooms where it’s feasible — three years ahead of schedule. The new and renovated bathrooms we’ll deliver over the next five years will make it easier for New Yorkers to embrace the best parts of this city: our shared outdoors spaces. And our new Google Maps layer will make it easier to find relief when you’ve got to go. ‘Ur in’ luck, New York.”

Finally, the city is establishing a joint taskforce to assist in siting and fast-tracking approvals for 14 new high-tech, self-cleaning automatic public toilets on city sidewalks and plazas.

“New Yorkers deserve accessible, well-maintained public restrooms — and we’re delivering. NYC Parks is leading the way with innovative initiatives and partnerships to build these vital public resources more quickly and efficiently,” NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue said.

“Everyone — seniors, parents with kids, anyone enjoying the day outdoors, needs access to a public bathroom without having to buy anything or beg for a code,” Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Public bathrooms are critical infrastructure for New York City, where people are always out and about. We’re making New York City a little easier and more livable, one public restroom at a time.”  

Marchers chanted for the release of hostages in Gaza on Sunday at a New York City parade for Israel that drew thousands of people under heightened security.

The parade kicked off almost eight months after the unprecedented Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, the deadliest in Israel’s history. The annual parade in the past was dubbed “Celebrate Israel,” but organizers said the exuberant atmosphere would be toned down this year given the war and hostages still being held in captivity in Gaza, as well as outbursts of antisemitism worldwide.

People chanted “Bring them home now!” and waved Israeli flags as they marched up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan for what this year is being called “Israel Day on Fifth.” Crowds of spectators and hundreds of police officers lined the route, and steel barricades were installed along the sidewalk. One sign read: “From the river to the sea, Hamas will cease to be.”

“Especially this year, after Oct. 7, it’s especially important to have this show of unity,” said Rena Orman, a Bronx native who took part in the parade as part of Mothers Against College Antisemitism. “Everybody wants hostages back. Everyone wants this to end. No one is cheering for this. Everyone wants peace.”

Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council, said earlier this week that the event would focus on solidarity, strength and resilience.

“This is not a mood of confetti and music,” Treyger said. “This is more of a mood of unwavering, ironclad solidarity with hostages to bring them home, and also our unwavering love and pride in our Jewish identity.”

The parade, which is in its 59th year, kicked off late Sunday morning with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams among the elected officials attending. Spectators and marchers came from around the New York City region.

“I think it’s important — especially with what’s going on in the Middle East, in Israel with the war going on — to show our support and to show that the hostages aren’t forgotten and the country itself is not forgotten,” said participant Michael Garber of neighboring New Jersey.

There was never a thought of cancelling the parade this year, Treyger said, despite what he termed an astronomical rise in antisemitism.

“This is a moment that we have to meet,” he said.

But there will be significant security.

New York Police Department officials employed measures typically used for high-profile events such as New Year’s Eve and July 4. That included drones, K-9 units, bike patrols, fencing and barriers and designated entry points for spectators all along the parade route. Backpacks, large bags and coolers were prohibited, and spectators had to pass through metal detectors.

City officials stressed Friday there were no specific or credible threats to either the parade or the city, and any protestors have the right to demonstrate so long as it is done peacefully.

“We’re not going to allow any unlawfulness and any disruption of any celebration of one’s heritage in this city,” Adams said at a security briefing.

The parade represents the first large-scale Jewish event in the city since the war started, although there have been roughly 2,800 protests in the city, with about 1,300 of them related to the conflict, the Democrat said.

Israel faces growing international criticism over its offensive in Gaza, at a huge cost in civilian lives. Israeli bombardments and ground offensives in the besieged territory have killed more than 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

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The parade, organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, is expected to draw more than 40,000 participants, including Israeli and U.S. politicians, dignitaries, celebrities, and families of hostages. The event will feature floats from various Israeli, Israeli-American, and Jewish schools and community organizations.

Scheduled to kick off at 11:30 a.m. and go until around 4 p.m., the parade will move down roughly 12 blocks of Fifth Avenue. Spectators wishing to catch the action will be screened and limited to a handful of viewing areas along the parade route.

Given previous disruptions at major events, such as the 2023 Thanksgiving Day Parade, the NYPD anticipates potential protest actions aimed at the Israel Day on Fifth Parade. There is a significant risk of attempts to block or otherwise disrupt the event, with large-scale protests related to the Israel-Hamas war continuing to occur nationwide.

The NYPD has released a comprehensive threat assessment for the upcoming Israel Day on Fifth Parade on Sunday. 

Police officials say there’s no specific threat to the event at this point. Security will be stepped up as a precaution.

Road Closures:

Here is a list of roads that will be closed through Sunday due to the parade, according to the city’s Department of Transportation.

Formation:

• 5th Avenue between 52nd Street and 55th Street
• West 52nd Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue
• East/West 52nd Street between Park Avenue and 6th Avenue
• East/West 53rd Street between Park Avenue and 6th Avenue
• East/West 54th Street between Park Avenue and 7th Avenue
• East/West 55th Street between Park Avenue and 6th Avenue
• East/West 56th Street between Park Avenue and 6th Avenue

Route:

• 5th Avenue between 52nd Street and 74th Street

Dispersal:

• 5th Avenue between 74th Street and 79th Street
• East 74th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• East 75th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• East 76th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• East 77th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• East 78th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue

Police officials say there’s no specific threat to the event at this point. Security will be stepped up as a precaution.

The NYPD Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau has warned that extremists from various ideological backgrounds may view the event as an attractive target for violence or disruption, particularly in light of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, according to a memo reviewed by NBC New York.

The assessment notes that the current threat environment for Israel and the Jewish community is particularly severe.

Foreign terrorist organizations such as Hamas, ISIS, and al-Qaida have persistently incited violence against Israeli and Jewish targets through online propaganda. These developments have the potential to inspire homegrown violent extremists in the United States to carry out similar attacks, experts say.

The report references the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel, where hundreds of Hamas militants launched a coordinated assault, resulting in about 1,200 deaths and over 200 kidnappings. This event, along with subsequent military actions and humanitarian crises, has heightened global tensions and led to calls for retribution from various extremist groups.

The parade, organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, is expected to draw more than 40,000 participants, including Israeli and U.S. politicians, dignitaries, celebrities, and families of hostages. The event will feature floats from various Israeli, Israeli-American, and Jewish schools and community organizations.

Given previous disruptions at major events, such as the 2023 Thanksgiving Day Parade, the NYPD anticipates potential protest actions aimed at the Israel Day on Fifth Parade. There is a significant risk of attempts to block or otherwise disrupt the event, with large-scale protests related to the Israel-Hamas war continuing to occur nationwide.

Add truckers to the list of opponents seeking to block New York’s first-in-the-nation congestion fee for driving into Manhattan.

The Trucking Association of New York filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against the MTA, which developed the toll plan, arguing the higher fees unfairly and unconstitutionally target the trucking industry. The trucking association’s lawsuit is among at least eight seeking to block the congestion fee plan, which is slated to launch June 30.

Under the transit authority’s plan, trucks will be subject to a charge of $24 or $36 per trip, depending on their size. Most drivers in private passenger cars, in contrast, should expect to pay about $15, with lower rates for motorcycles and late-night entries into the city, according to the proposal finalized in March.

Kendra Hems, the trucking association’s president, said the industry will have no choice but to shoulder the increased costs, as truck operators don’t have flexibility on their driving routes or schedules, which are generally set by the businesses they serve.

That, she said, will only lead to price increases on countless goods, as the trucking industry moves nearly 90% of products in New York City.

“As any responsible business does, we deliver when our customers ask us to deliver, which is during prime business hours,” said Joe Fitzpatrick, founder of Lightning Express Delivery Service and a member of the trucking association’s board. “That will not change now, but what will change is higher costs for New Yorkers as a result.”

The association suggests that the transit authority revise its plan to exempt the industry from the fee, limit trucks to being tolled just once a day or toll them at the same rate as passenger vehicles.

A spokesperson for the MTA declined to comment on the suit Thursday.

A Manhattan federal court judge earlier this month heard arguments in lawsuits brought by unionized public school teachers, politicians and other New Yorkers.

In New Jersey, a federal court judge has also heard arguments in legal challenges brought by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich and others.

Many of those lawsuits argue the tolling scheme was approved by federal transportation officials without proper scrutiny and the court should order transit officials to conduct a more comprehensive environmental study before rolling out the plan.

Both judges have not yet ruled in the cases.

How does congestion pricing work?

Congestion pricing would impact any driver entering what is being called the Central Business District (CBD), which stretches from 60th Street in Manhattan and below, all the way down to the southern tip of the Financial District. In other words, most drivers entering midtown Manhattan or below will have to pay the toll, according to the board’s report.

All drivers of cars, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles would be charged the toll. Different vehicles will be charged different amounts — here’s a breakdown of the prices:

• Passenger vehicles: $15
• Small trucks (like box trucks, moving vans, etc.): $24
• Large trucks: $36
• Motorcycles: $7.50

The $15 toll is about a midway point between previously reported possibilities, which have ranged from $9 to $23.

The full, daytime rates will be in effect from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. each weekday, and 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. on the weekends. The board called for toll rates in the off-hours (from 9 p.m.-5 a.m. on weekdays, and 9 p.m. until 9 a.m. on weekends) to be about 75% less — about $3.50 instead of $15 for a passenger vehicle.

Drivers will only be charged to enter the zone, not to leave it or stay in it. That means residents who enter the CBD and circle their block to look for parking won’t be charged.

Only one toll will be levied per day — so anyone who enters the area, then leaves and returns, will still only be charged the toll once for that day.

The review board said that implementing their congestion pricing plan is expected to reduce the number of vehicles entering the area by 17%. That would equate to 153,000 fewer cars in that large portion of Manhattan. They also predicted that the plan would generate $15 billion, a cash influx that could be used to modernize subways and buses.

Here’s a full breakdown of the congestion pricing plan from the MTA.

More to know about congestion pricing

For months, the MTA board whittled down proposals and heard tens of thousands of public comments to inform a final decision going for a vote this week.

Despite what officials say were overwhelming public comments “in favor” of congestion pricing by a 2-to-1 margin, a number of vocal groups have stood in opposition, many seeking an exemption from the daily cost to drive in part of Manhattan.

Public hearings paved the way for the final vote on March 27, when the plan was given final approval. For their part, the MTA has insisted that they are merely implementing state law aimed at cleaning the air and modernizing mass transit — conditions a majority of commenters supported at those public hearings. 

“We all know that the infrastructure has to be replaced. We need new trains and signals — congestion pricing at this point is the stream that provides the funding for those things,” said New York City Transit Senior Vice President Demetrius Crichlow.

Tolling will begin starting at 12:01 a.m. on June 30. Any one of the lawsuits filed against congestion pricing could bring the plan screeching to a halt, but the MTA has said it believes it will win them all.

All of the MTA’s 110 toll readers are in place and ready to go.

Cars will be charged an additional $15 to enter Manhattan at 61st Street and below, while trucks could be charged between $24 and $36, depending on size.

The MTA board overwhelmingly voted to approve the measure in December, saying charging drivers to enter a large swath of Manhattan would contribute millions of dollars to the city’s aging transit system.

The approval came after the Traffic Mobility Review Board delivered its report to the MTA on Nov. 30, laying out the general guidelines for the impending tolls, including costs, when certain prices will be in effect, who gets credits and more.

Here’s a breakdown of everything that was approved in December, and what comes next in the process.

So congestion pricing is coming to New York City starting this summer. But what does it all mean?

For those who still have questions about the controversial program, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will be hosting virtual sessions to explain it all.

According to the MTA, there will be six webinars in June explaining how the plan works, what it is supposed to be earning money for, who is eligible for discounts or exemptions, and what others need to know about the tolling that is scheduled to start on Sunday, June 30th.

The webinars will last for 60 minutes and will include a 30-minute presentation on the congestion relief zone in Manhattan below 61st Street. There will also be Q&A portions of each session.

Here’s a schedule for the public webinars:

• Wednesday, June 5: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Thursday, June 6: 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
• Monday, June 10: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
• Friday, June 14: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
• Tuesday June 18: 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
• Tuesday June 18: 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. 

Those who wish to participate in the webinars must register in advance, which is available here.

For some questions, the MTA has a FAQ page so drivers can address more specific questions they may have. For example, can I cross the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan and go north on FDR Drive without getting charged?

For other question, like who is exempt and how they can go about applying for an exemption, keep reading below:

Who is exempt from congestion pricing?

The transit authority opened the application process in April for those groups and individuals seeking to be exempt from having to pay every time they enter Manhattan at 60th Street or below.

As the MTA previously said, the majority of cars likely to get a full exemption from the tolls will be government vehicles. MTA officials said essentially all yellow school buses are in the clear — that applies to NYC Public Schools, charter and Catholic schools, as well as private schools.

As long as the bus company has a contract with the Department of Education, they are expected to be exempt.

The list also includes NYC-owned fleet vehicles. The MTA has already made it clear that emergency vehicles will be exempt, but so will virtually every city-owned official car. Between the dozens of agencies, there are potentially hundreds, if not thousands, of cars that will qualify.

A third group, commuter buses, will also make the list. The MTA officials said any bus with scheduled service where the public can buy tickets will be exempt, including the Hampton Jitney, Greyhound, Mega Bus and Flix Bus.

Other charter buses, NY Waterway buses and the NYU employee shuttle would not be exempt.

Click here for the MTA’s full list of exemptions.

Are there lower rates available for some drivers?

Yes, some drivers will be eligible for a reduced rate.

The MTA said that lower-income New Yorkers can apply to pay for an exemption that allows them to pay half-priced tolls.

Low-income drivers who earn less than $50,000 a year can apply to pay half the price on the daytime toll, but only after the first 10 trips in a month.

It is important for those interested in applying for the lower rate to do so as soon as possible, in order to ensure their license plates are in the system when the system goes live one second after 12 a.m. on June 30. That way they are not charged the full amount at any point once it is in effect.

At an unrelated event on Friday, NYC Mayor Eric Adams said the while congestion pricing is the law of the land, he remains concerned about low-income New Yorkers being able to navigate the application process in order to get the discount.

“It can be a burden. That’s why we have an obligation to reach out and make it easy for people to apply,” said Adams.

Click here for information about the MTA’s low-income discount plan.

Click here for an application to the low-income discount plan.

Is there any other way to get a discount?

Many groups had been hoping to get exemptions, but very few will avoid having to pay the toll entirely. That small group is limited to specialized government vehicles (like snowplows) and emergency vehicles.

While not an exemption, there will also be so-called “crossing credits” for drivers using any of the four tunnels to get into Manhattan. That means those who already pay at the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel, for example, will not pay the full congestion fee. The credit amounts to $5 per ride for passenger vehicles, $2.50 for motorcycles, $12 for small trucks and $20 for large trucks.

Drivers from Long Island and Queens using the Queens-Midtown Tunnel will get the same break, as will those using the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Those who come over the George Washington Bridge and go south of 60th Street would see no such discount, however.

Public-sector employees (teachers, police, firefighters, transit workers, etc.), those who live in the so-called CBD, utility companies, those with medical appointments in the area and those who drive electric vehicles had all been hoping to get be granted an exemption. They did not get one.

What about taxis and rideshares?

There will be exemptions in place for rideshares and taxis, but much to their chagrin, they won’t get away completely scot-free.

The toll will not be in effect for taxis, but drivers will be charged a $1.25 surcharge per ride. The same policy applies to Uber, Lyft and other rideshare drivers, but their surcharge will be $2.50.

New York Taxi Workers Alliance Executive Director Bhairavi Desai has said in a statement that the plan is “a reckless proposal that will devastate an entire workforce.”

How does congestion pricing work?

Congestion pricing would impact any driver entering what is being called the Central Business District (CBD), which stretches from 60th Street in Manhattan and below, all the way down to the southern tip of the Financial District. In other words, most drivers entering midtown Manhattan or below will have to pay the toll, according to the board’s report.

All drivers of cars, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles would be charged the toll. Different vehicles will be charged different amounts — here’s a breakdown of the prices:

• Passenger vehicles: $15
• Small trucks (like box trucks, moving vans, etc.): $24
• Large trucks: $36
• Motorcycles: $7.50

The $15 toll is about a midway point between previously reported possibilities, which have ranged from $9 to $23.

The full, daytime rates would be in effect from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. each weekday, and 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. on the weekends. The board called for toll rates in the off-hours (from 9 p.m.-5 a.m. on weekdays, and 9 p.m. until 9 a.m. on weekends) to be about 75% less — about $3.50 instead of $15 for a passenger vehicle.

Drivers would only be charged to enter the zone, not to leave it or stay in it. That means residents who enter the CBD and circle their block to look for parking won’t be charged.

Only one toll will be levied per day — so anyone who enters the area, then leaves and returns, will still only be charged the toll once for that day.

The review board said that implementing their congestion pricing plan is expected to reduce the number of vehicles entering the area by 17%. That would equate to 153,000 fewer cars in that large portion of Manhattan. They also predicted that the plan would generate $15 billion, a cash influx that could be used to modernize subways and buses.

Here’s a full breakdown of the congestion pricing plan from the MTA.

More to know about congestion pricing

For months, the MTA board whittled down proposals and heard tens of thousands of public comments to inform a final decision going for a vote this week.

Despite what officials say were overwhelming public comments “in favor” of congestion pricing by a 2-to-1 margin, a number of vocal groups have stood in opposition, many seeking an exemption from the daily cost to drive in part of Manhattan.

Public hearings paved the way for the final vote on March 27, when the plan was given final approval. For their part, the MTA has insisted that they are merely implementing state law aimed at cleaning the air and modernizing mass transit — conditions a majority of commenters supported at those public hearings. 

“We all know that the infrastructure has to be replaced. We need new trains and signals — congestion pricing at this point is the stream that provides the funding for those things,” said New York City Transit Senior Vice President Demetrius Crichlow.

Tolling will begin starting at 12:01 a.m. on June 30. Any one of the lawsuits filed against congestion pricing could bring the plan screeching to a halt, but the MTA has said it believes it will win them all.

All of the MTA’s 110 toll readers are in place and ready to go.

Cars will be charged an additional $15 to enter Manhattan at 61st Street and below, while trucks could be charged between $24 and $36, depending on size.

The MTA board overwhelmingly voted to approve the measure in December, saying charging drivers to enter a large swath of Manhattan would contribute millions of dollars to the city’s aging transit system.

The approval came after the Traffic Mobility Review Board delivered its report to the MTA on Nov. 30, laying out the general guidelines for the impending tolls, including costs, when certain prices will be in effect, who gets credits and more.

Here’s a breakdown of everything that was approved in December, and what comes next in the process.

The semi-annual solar spectacle occurs when the sunset perfectly aligns with Manhattan’s east-west streets of its traffic grid. Thousands of New Yorkers and tourists alike pour into the streets to view the striking natural occurrence. If you’re looking to see it, Tuesday will offer the best weather.

There will be a “half sun” view of Manhattanhenge, a term claimed to be coined by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, on Tuesday night. That occurs when the top half of the sun is visible on the grid before it slips below the horizon.

Sunset Tuesday is at 8:18 p.m. and conditions are going to be ideal: clear skies, temperatures in the mid-70s, low humidity, light wind. No need for a jacket or even a sweater; all you’ll need to capture that perfect picture is your phone (and hopefully crowds that cooperate).

Those hoping to catch the sun set seemingly sink into the city skyline can get the best views on the major crosstown streets:

• 14th Street
• 23rd Street
• 34th Street
• 42nd Street
• 57th Street

Make sure to pick a spot facing west, though it is recommended to head farther east to see the best views of the spectacle. It is also possible to see Manhattanhenge across the East River in the Long Island City section of Queens.

“Unnoticed by many, the sunset point actually creeps day to day along the horizon: northward until the first day of summer, then returning southward until the first day of winter,” Tyson wrote in 1997. “Had Manhattan’s grid been perfectly aligned with the geographic north-south line, then the days of Manhattanhenge would coincide with the equinoxes.”

Tyson, a native New Yorker, noted that the setting sun framed by Manhattan’s high-rises could be compared to the sun’s rays striking the center of the Stonehenge circle on the solstice. But unlike the Neolithic Stonehenge builders, the planners who laid out Manhattan did not mean to channel the sun. It just worked out that way.

Wednesday night’s sunset will showcase the “full sun” Manhattanhenge. This is when the entire sun is in line with the city’s grid just before sunset at 8:19PM.

Unfortunately, Wednesday evening’s weather will not be as cooperative as Tuesday’s. Clouds will be on the increase all day. By sunset, even though buildings won’t obscure a view of the sun, clouds will. On top of questionable visibility, showers and storms are back in the forecast Wednesday night as well.

Expect showers in the city at or around sunset, with maybe even a rumble of thunder mixed in. Needless to say, it won’t be an ideal evening for Manhattanhenge, otherwise known as the Manhattan Solstice.

While hopeful viewers may only get to see a half Manhattanhenge this time around, do not fret: The next full Manhattanhenge will be here before you know it, on July 12.

Is Manhattanhenge an organized event?

Manhattanhenge viewing parties are not unknown, but it is mostly a DIY affair. People gather on east-west streets a half-hour or so before sunset and snap photo after photo as dusk approaches. That’s if the weather is fine. There’s no visible Manhattanhenge on rainy or cloudy days.

Do other cities have “Henges”?

Similar effects occur in other cities with uniform street grids. Chicagohenge and Baltimorehenge happen when the setting sun lines up with the grid systems in those cities in March and September, around the spring and fall equinoxes. Torontohenge occurs in February and October.

But Manhattanhenge is particularly striking because of the height of the buildings and the unobstructed path to the Hudson.

Police responded to a call of an injured person on Reade Street just before 11:30 Sunday night. The 27-year-old victim suffered a slash wound to the left side of his face.

He was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was said to be recovering from his injuries.

It was not immediately clear what sparked the violence. The suspect in the incident was described as a man in his 30s or 40s, wearing a gray hoodie with a backpack and a black baseball hat. He was last seen running east on Chambers Street immediately after the slashing, police said.

An investigation is ongoing.

The NYPD said 49-year-old Nile Taylor set a cup of liquid on fire and hurled it at a passenger on the downtown No. 1 train as it pulled into the station at Houston Street in SoHo Saturday afternoon.

The 23-year-old victim’s shirt caught fire, and he suffered significant burns to his chest, head, neck and arm. He was taken to Cornell Medical Center, according to police, and was expected to survive.

Taylor took off immediately after the incident, but police caught up with him several blocks away near Canal Street and Renwick Street in Hudson Square after police tracked a phone he allegedly stole from another subway rider to his location. He was arrested and faces a slew of charges including assault, arson, reckless endangerment, petty larceny and weapon possession.

While in custody for the flaming weekend attack, police said that Taylor was also charged in connection with a similar incident at a subway station in Chelsea earlier in the year. In that scary encounter, Taylor allegedly threw a container with a flaming liquid at a group of people on the No. 1 train platform at the West 28th Street station. No one was injured in that incident.

He faces arson, attempted assault and reckless endangerment charges in that incident as well.

Taylor, who police said is homeless, was being represented by Gretchen Reeser, of the Legal Aid Society. He was being held on $250,000 cash bail, and is next scheduled to appear in court on Friday.

The random attack happened on a No. 1 train in lower Manhattan on Saturday afternoon, city police said, adding that the suspect was in custody.

Police said the victim suffered burns to his torso.

The suspect, a 49-year-old man, was arrested a short time later after police tracked a phone he allegedly stole from another subway rider to his location, authorities said. Police have not announced the charges against the man, and it wasn’t immediately clear if he had a lawyer would respond to the allegations.

Police are also investigating a similar encounter in February when a man threw a container with a flaming liquid at a group of people on a subway platform in the West 28th Street station.

Transit officials said trains were delayed as the incident was being investigated.

The investigation is ongoing.

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Michael McCloskey, who is from Watsonville, California, also is charged with assault, criminal possession of a weapon and attempted assault. He was arraigned Thursday. It wasn’t immediately clear if he entered a plea.

According to the investigation, the 65-year-old carpenter went to Port Authority shortly before 6 a.m. on April 22 to wait for his co-worker. As he waited, he walked over to a pillar outside the Hudson News store to sit and read.

As he read, prosecutors allege McCloskey, carrying a knife, came up from behind him and, unprovoked, stabbed him nine times in the throat, neck, back and arm. The carpenter endured lacerations, puncture wounds and substantial pain, authorities said. He was sent to a hospital, where he received about 47 stitches and stayed overnight for treatment.

Port Authority officers heard the carpenter screaming and ran over to the store. They arrested McCloskey, and a knife was recovered from the scene.

“As alleged, Michael McCloskey viciously stabbed a carpenter at the world’s busiest bus terminal, causing significant injuries,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. “In Manhattan, we take acts of violence committed at major transit sites very seriously and will continue working hard to hold accountable those who commit such acts. I wish the victim a swift recovery.”    

There was no immediate update on his condition Friday.

Information on a possible attorney for McCloskey wasn’t immediately available.

Video of the incident from around 4:30 a.m. on April 28 shows three people get out of a white sedan near the corner of Twelfth Avenue and West 50th Street, police said. The three men tackled a 35-year-old man and tried to remove the necklace he was wearing.

When the victim tried to run away, one of the suspects opened fire, according to police. But instead of striking his target, the shots struck one of his accomplices in the left leg and chest.

The three men then got back in the car and took off. The victim was not hurt. The suspect who was shot by his accomplice later walked into NYU Langone Medical Center to get treatment for his injuries. The 21-year-old was identified as Benny Polanco of the Bronx, who now faces charges including attempted murder, robbery, assault and more.

Police were still looking for the other suspects seen in the video. Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website.

Zykil Adamson was arrested Tuesday afternoon, and faced a judge at Manhattan Criminal Court in the afternoon. He is accused of shooting a 26-year-old man in the head at what is known as “The Music Building,” inside a studio on the 11th floor of the building between West 38th Street and West 39th Street, police said previously.

The shooting occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on Friday, March 8, when the victim was apparently ambushed at the city’s largest rehearsal facility, according to police sources.

Surveillance video captured a group of at least three men walking away from the building on on Eighth Avenue, just minutes after the man was shot. Not long after, other men were also seen walking away after the shots were fired.

Initial witness accounts weren’t particularly helpful, police sources said.

Police still have not said what a motive for the shooting may have been.

The victim, a resident of Eastchester Gardens, has a notable criminal history, including 27 arrests. His history also includes previous encounters with mental health interventions. He remains in serious condition.

It was not immediately clear what charges Adamson was facing.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

Police have said the 66-year-old actor — known for his roles in “Boardwalk Empire,” and “Fargo,” among other performances — was walking in Manhattan on May 8 when a stranger punched him in the face. Police arrested a man Friday in connection with the assault, three days after having released a photo of the suspect.

Buscemi’s publisher has confirmed the attack, and said the actor was treated at a hospital with injuries to his eye but was otherwise okay.

Manhattan May 17

Alleged Steve Buscemi NYC attacker in custody, was tied to another assault on same day

Manhattan May 15

New details revealed about suspect wanted in Steve Buscemi NYC sucker-punch attack

Manhattan May 12

Actor Steve Buscemi bloodied and bruised after punch to the face on NYC street

The accused man, who is 50 years old, was arraigned on Saturday and the judge set bail at $50,000, prosecutors said. It was unclear if the defendant had a lawyer who could speak for him. A phone message has been left with the local public defender’s office. The suspect is due back in court on Thursday.

The criminal complaint alleges the man punched two people at the time, but authorities did not name them. It also says the attack on Buscemi was captured by surveillance video.

In March, Buscemi’s “Boardwalk Empire” co-star Michael Stuhlbarg was attacked, by a different stranger. The person allegedly hit him in the back of the neck with a rock in Manhattan’s Central Park.

Henry Thomas was arrested by U.S. Marshals Friday afternoon in Harlem in connection with the deadly shooting of 16-year-old Mahki Brown on May 7 in SoHo, police said.

Brown was killed in the outdoor Urban Plaza, a public courtyard space on private property between two buildings on Spring Street, when multiple people rode up on Citi bikes, police said. One of the individuals took out a gun, shooting Brown in the back of the head and twice in the leg, police said.

It is believed some sort of dispute broke out between the two groups before the shots were fired.

Brown was rushed to the hospital, but died from his injuries. It was not immediately clear if he was the intended target.

The suspects took off on the Citi bikes immediately after. A photo shared with NBC New York showed two people on a Citi bike — one pedaling and one seated in the bike’s front basket — who were suspected to be involved in the shooting.

It was not clear if Thomas was one of the individuals seen in the photo (below). Investigators are still looking for the other suspect.

Attorney information for Thomas was not given.

The NYPD released surveillance video Friday of a daring robbery in Washington Heights on May 9. Police said the alleged package thief, disguised as a FedEx worker with the company’s logo emblazoned on the arm was confronted by a real delivery driver as he was coming out of an apartment building.

The fake delivery man walked out of the building on West 159th Street with a large box under his arm, briefly teetering on his bike as he tries to pedal it away, the surveillance video appears to show. The real delivery driver confronted the fake FedEx employee and when he tried to get the box back, police said the man on the bicycle pulled out what looked like a knife and threatened to stab him.

The man on the bike then took the package back and rode off on his bicycle going north on Amsterdam Avenue, police said.

“Would you ever question someone wearing a FedEx shirt?” asked Kenneth Batista of Washington Heights. “To be completely honest, no. But based on what you told me, I guess we should, you never know who’s who now.”

FedEx told NBC New York its couriers are required to wear company-issued badges with the employee’s photo on them at all times.

“We encourage any customer who is suspicious about shipments or suspects fraudulent activity to contact the appropriate authorities immediately,” a spokesperson for FedEx said in a statement. “We fully cooperate with authorities in any investigations and would direct further inquiry to those investigating authorities.”

The 33-year-old delivery worker, the victim in the case, was not injured during the incident, according to police.

“I think they look for return addresses and this was Ralph Lauren, and they thought this is good, I’ll take this,” said Washington Heights resident David Reshler.

The NYPD is searching for the suspect in the brazen robbery and said there have been no arrests made yet. Some residents in the area said package thefts are a big complaint in the neighborhood and they are now using pickups at the post office or an Amazon locker.

Clifton Williams was apprehended after his building supervisor called 911 during a dispute over Williams’ property at a homeless shelter in Chelsea. After the 50-year-old claimed some of his belongings had been stolen, officers responded to get Williams’ account and recognized him from the wanted pictures. He allegedly acknowledged his identity and was taken into custody.

Williams said nothing as he was led out of the police stationhouse in handcuffs. He had been identified Tuesday as the suspect in the May 8 attack on the “Boardwalk Empire” star in Kips Bay.

Police also revealed Friday that Buscemi was not Williams’ only alleged victim that day: He punched a 22-year-old man near East 15th Street and Third Avenue just 10 minutes before slugging the actor, police said.

Williams was charged with misdemeanor assault in the first incident and felony assault in the attack on Buscemi, due to the 66-year-old being considered a senior citizen. Attorney information for Williams wasn’t known.

There was no comment from the actor or his team regarding the arrest.

Williams had been staying at city shelters for the past few years. In April, he stayed at the Bellevue Men’s Shelter before being placed in Greenpoint.

Buscemi, a former FDNY firefighter, had mild bruising and swelling in one of his eyes as a result of the unprovoked attack. The actor’s publicist said he was “OK and appreciates everyone’s well wishes, though incredibly sad for everyone that this has happened to while also walking the streets of NY.”

Known for his roles in the films “Fargo” and “Reservoir Dogs,” or the recent TV series “Miracle Workers,” Buscemi was last seen on screen in the final season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which ended its 12 season run in April.

Buscemi was the second actor from the popular HBO television show “Boardwalk Empire” attacked this spring. Michael Stuhlbarg was struck in the head with a rock while walking near Central Park on March 31.

A homeless man, later identified as 27-year-old Xavier Israel, was taken into custody in connection with that incident; he faces assault and harassment charges. Israel is allegedly the same person who attacked a good Samaritan who gave him a coat in Manhattan more than two years ago.

New York’s first-in-the-nation plan to levy a hefty toll on drivers entering much of traffic-choked Manhattan was the focus of a legal battle that played out in federal court Friday.

A Manhattan judge heard arguments in a series of lawsuits from unionized public school teachers, local Republican officials and other New Yorkers seeking to put the brakes on the plan set to launch June 30. Here’s everything you need to know about congestion pricing.

But U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Liman didn’t issue any decisions following the daylong hearing, where the central question was whether transportation officials have sufficiently thoroughly studied — and come up sufficient plans to address — the negative health and environmental effects of the toll.

Most drivers in private cars, locals and tourists, heading into Manhattan south of Central Park should expect to pay about $15 during the daytime, with higher tolls for larger vehicles and lower rates for motorcycles and late-night entries into the city, according to the proposal finalized in March.

Those who aren’t enrolled in a regional toll collection program will pay $22.50.

Alan Klinger, a lawyer representing lower Manhattan residents, said the toll amounts to a “cash grab” by transit officials looking to pump billions of dollars into the region’s creaky subway, trains and buses.

“There’s a desperate need to put funds into mass transit, and that is their overriding issue,” he said.

Klinger asked the judge to to issue a “permanent injunction” and/or “declare that congestion pricing violates” the opponents’ constitutional rights.

Lawyers for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the agency overseeing the congestion fee plan, didn’t dispute that the toll will provide a critical cash infusion of around $1 billion annually for the system, which carries about four million riders daily. But they also argued that the toll will help reduce traffic and improve regional air quality by discouraging driving into Manhattan. The MTA also maintains it conducted extensive environmental reviews that found no significant effects to local communities that could not be addressed by focused mitigation efforts.

Klinger and other lawyers representing Manhattan residents argued Friday that the tolling scheme was given the green light by federal transportation officials without proper scrutiny.

Among other things, they noted that the Federal Highway Administration’s review was complete even before New York officials approved the toll’s final structure. Toll opponents want the court to order transit officials to conduct a more comprehensive environmental study before rolling out the plan.

“This is supposed to be an all-encompassing process, and it has been anything but,” Klinger said.

Lawyers for the highway administration countered that New York transit officials had thoroughly analyzed the plan’s consequences and presented sufficient details for how they would address any harmful effects.

“None of these challenges have any merit,” said Zachary Bannon, a highway administration lawyer.

While the toll is expected to lead to an overall decline in traffic across greater New York City, some areas will see a “small degree” of increased congestion, acknowledged Elizabeth Knauer, an MTA lawyer.

The agency, she said, has committed to investing about $155 million over five years to offset those effects, including installing more roadside plants, parks, school air-filtration systems and more electric vehicle charging stations.

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber — who took the train from transit headquarters and then walked over to court — said the toll will pump billions of dollars into modernizing mass transit. He also says the plan has been extensively vetted.

“Really the issue is, there was a 4,000 page, 4-year study. We think it is sufficient,” said Lieber. “The federal government gave us an A-plus.”

Other lawsuits argued Friday contend that low-income and minority communities already dealing with poor air quality will be particularly hard hit by the health effects of increased traffic through their streets.

They also argue drivers from other city boroughs and suburbs that lack adequate mass transit will take a disproportionate financial hit. Additionally, they claim, small businesses in the congestion zone will face higher operating costs and fewer customers.

“We have been clear that this current MTA plan moves pollution and congestion out of Manhattan and sends it into the other boroughs and neighborhoods already dealing with environmental hazards,” Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers that’s among the groups challenging the plan, said in a statement. “It is not fair, and we are asking the courts to tell the MTA to come up with a better plan.”

Many of the claims in Friday’s lawsuits echo arguments made last month during a two-day hearing in a New Jersey federal court, where New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich have each filed lawsuits.

Judge Leo Gordon, who is weighing those legal challenges, has said he plans to issue a written decision before the toll takes effect.

The incident occurred just after 5 a.m. Thursday near the intersection of West 4th Street and Cornelia Street in Greenwich Village, police said. The driver of a private garbage truck was heading on West 4th Street and stopped on Cornelia Street, then put the truck in reverse.

As the driver backed up, a 35-year-old man in the street was struck, according to police. EMS responded to assist the man, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 35-year-old driver of the truck remained at the scene. No arrests have been made, and an investigation remains ongoing.

Clifton Williams was seen on May 11 at a men’s shelter on Clay Street in Greenpoint, the city officials told NBC New York. The 50-year-old Williams stayed at the shelter for three nights after the attack the officials said.

Williams has been staying at city shelters for the past few years. In April, he stayed at the Bellevue Men’s Shelter before being placed in Greenpoint.

He was identified Tuesday as the suspect in the May 8 attack on the “Boardwalk Empire” star in Kips Bay. Two NYPD sources said Buscemi had been leaning up against a wall around 12 p.m., texting on his phone, when a stranger came up and walloped him across the face.

EMS were called to Third Avenue and East 28th Street where they picked up Buscemi and took him to Bellevue Hospital. Police said the actor was treated for bruising, swelling, and bleeding to his left eye as a result of the seemingly random attack.

The actor’s publicist confirmed details of the violent incident over the weekend, saying that the 66-year-old “is ok and appreciates everyone’s well wishes, though incredibly sad for everyone that this has happened to while also walking the streets of NY.”

In the days after the alleged attack, the NYPD released surveillance images of the suspect in hopes of tracking him down. The search for Williams is ongoing.

Buscemi, a former FDNY firefighter, is known for his roles in the films “Fargo” and “Reservoir Dogs,” or the recent TV series “Miracle Workers.” He was last seen on screen in the final season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which ended its 12 season run in April.

Buscemi was the second actor from the popular HBO television show “Boardwalk Empire” attacked this spring. Michael Stuhlbarg was struck in the head with a rock while walking near Central Park on March 31.

A homeless man, later identified as 27-year-old Xavier Israel, was taken into custody in connection with that incident; he faces assault and harassment charges. Israel is allegedly the same person who attacked a good Samaritan who gave him a coat in Manhattan more than two years ago.

Cops say they were called to the Delancey and Essex streets station in the Lower East Side around 5:30 a.m. for a report about a male stabbed in the J train mezzanine area. They found the victim with stab wounds to his neck and back.

He was taken to a hospital in stable condition. The victim, 34-year-old Anthony Chávez, told NBC New York he wasn’t sure why he was targeted.

“I wake up to a book bag, bam, in my face,” said Chavez, who said he’s homeless. “I follow him outside. When I get upstairs, that’s when he grabbed me.”

He was treated by EMS before being loaded into an ambulance. He was released from the hospital later Wednesday, his face bandaged and stained in blood.

Friends of Chavez said he may have been stabbed by someone he knew, after some sort of heat argument between the two. They said Chavez is not known for getting into street fights.

The NYPD says cops are looking for a person of interest in a white hooded sweatshirt who was last seen running outside the station, but no further description was offered. No arrests have been made.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

The “Boardwalk Empire” star was in Kips Bay on May 8 when a stranger came up and walloped the actor across the face, according to two NYPD sources. They said Buscemi had been leaning up against a wall around 12 p.m., texting on his phone, at the time of the attack.

EMS were called to Third Avenue and East 28th Street where they picked up Buscemi and took him to Bellevue Hospital. Police said the actor was treated for bruising, swelling, and bleeding to his left eye as a result of the seemingly random attack.

The actor’s publicist confirmed details of the violent incident over the weekend, saying that the 66-year-old “is ok and appreciates everyone’s well wishes, though incredibly sad for everyone that this has happened to while also walking the streets of NY.”

In the days after the alleged attack, the NYPD released surveillance images of the suspect in hopes of tracking him down. On Tuesday, he was identified as 50-year-old Clifton Williams.

The search for Williams is ongoing.

Buscemi, a former FDNY firefighter, is known for his roles in the films “Fargo” and “Reservoir Dogs,” or the recent TV series “Miracle Workers.” He was last seen on screen in the final season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which ended its 12 season run in April.

Buscemi was the second actor from the popular HBO television show “Boardwalk Empire” attacked this spring. Michael Stuhlbarg was struck in the head with a rock while walking near Central Park on March 31.

A homeless man, later identified as 27-year-old Xavier Israel, was taken into custody in connection with that incident; he faces assault and harassment charges. Israel is allegedly the same person who attacked a good Samaritan who gave him a coat in Manhattan more than two years ago.

Two people, both teenage boys, were involved in the fight at Mather Building Arts and Craftsmanship High School after 1 p.m. on West 50th Street between 9th and 10th avenues, police said. At some point during the fisticuffs on the fourth floor, one of the teens was slashed in the face and the other was stabbed in the chest.

A school safety union representative told NBC New York that both students were armed with knives. The school does not have scanners, according to the union rep.

One of the students was taken to Bellevue Hospital, though his condition was not immediately made available. It was not known if the other teen required medical attention as a result of the brawl.

It was not clear what led to the fight. On Wednesday, police said that a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old were both charged with second-degree assault in connection with the fight.

Four schools that share a campus on the block were forced into temporary lockdowns as a result. Some at recess at the time were evacuated as a precaution.

“The safety and wellbeing of our students is our top priority. Violence has absolutely no place in our schools, and this behavior is unacceptable. Our outstanding school staff and NYPD School Safety Agents immediately responded to an incident between students at the school, and the school was placed under a soft lockdown,” the city’s Department of Education said in a statement.

It was one of two incidents involving a stabbing at a high school on Tuesday, according to police. An 18-year-old student was slashed in the back and arm outside a high school in the Glen Oaks neighborhood of Queens just before 3 p.m.

The victim in that incident was taken to Manhasset Hospital and is expected to survive. The search for a suspect was ongoing.

Lorenzo Prendini, an expert on arachnids at the New York-based museum, was held by police at Istanbul Airport while allegedly trying to take about 1,500 samples out of the country, news outlets reported.

The state-run Anadolu news agency reported Monday that Prendini was detained for allegedly attempting to smuggle species found in Turkey. In emailed comments to The Associated Press, Prendini said he had appeared before a judge and was released without charge.

Video published by the Demiroren News Agency showed officers searching hand luggage and removing plastic bags that appeared to be packed with dead spiders and scorpions.

Prendini said the police had disregarded permits from the Turkish government to conduct his research in collaboration with Turkish scientists.

“The police completely ignored this and relied on the testimony of an ‘expert’ who has a conflict of interest with my collaborators … and whose scientific research is highly questionable,” he said.

“The police have completely violated due process and it appears they would like to find me guilty in the court of public opinion.”

The museum’s website lists Prendini as the curator of its spider, scorpion, centipede and millipede collections. It says his research into spiders and scorpions has taken him to more than 30 countries.

The museum did not respond to an email seeking comment.

The 36-year-old woman was attacked near West 43rd Street and Eighth Avenue around 6:15 p.m. Saturday.

Surveillance video shows the man sitting on the side of a building. He stands up as the woman approaches. A knife is visible in his right hand. He lunges toward her, sinking the weapon into her chest.

She stumbles, stunned. He walks back to where he had been sitting. The man was taken into custody.

The woman is expected to be OK, though she said she was too shaken to discuss her experience.

Medics responded to 3rd Avenue and East 28th Street, where they picked up Buscemi and took him to Bellevue Hospital. Police said the actor was treated for bruising, swelling, and bleeding to his left eye as a result of the seemingly random attack.

The attacker has not yet been identified, but the NYPD released surveillance images of the alleged suspect in hopes of tracking him down.

“Steve Buscemi was assaulted in Mid-Town Manhattan, another victim of a random act of violence in the city,” the actor’s publicist said in a statement to NBC News. “He is ok and appreciates everyone’s well wishes, though incredibly sad for everyone that this has happened to while also walking the streets of NY.”

Buscemi, a former FDNY firefighter, is known for his roles in the films “Fargo” and “Reservoir Dogs,” or the recent TV series “Miracle Workers.” He was last seen on screen in the final season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which ended its 12 season run in April.

Buscemi is the second actor from the popular HBO television show “Boardwalk Empire” attacked this spring. Michael Stuhlbarg was struck in the head with a rock while walking near Central Park on March 31.

A homeless man, later identified as 27-year-old Xavier Israel, was taken into custody in connection with that incident; he faces assault and harassment charges. Israel is allegedly the same person who attacked a good Samaritan who gave him a coat in Manhattan more than two years ago.

Stuhlbarg is currently acting in “Patriots” on Broadway.

The incident occurred around noon on Sunday, April 28, as the 17-year-old was walking on East 44th Street toward Second Avenue, police side. A man went up to her and ripped the hijab she was wearing from her head.

“You don’t need to be wearing that here,” the suspect allegedly told the victim.

The man then ran up Second Avenue. Police shared a photo of him as their search continued. No arrests have yet been made.

The victim was not injured in the incident.

An investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information in regard to the incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office said Tuesday night that they would not prosecute 22-year-old social media influencer Kai Cenat for the madness that devolved at Union Square on Aug. 4. Two others, Denzel Dennis and Muktar Din, will also not face prosecution for their roles in the riot that turned violent.

The DA’s office said that Cenat had already paid $55,000 in restitution, and the other two had each paid just over $1,000 each as well. Cenat also posted a lengthy apology on his Snapchat account, which would be reposted by Dennis and Din.

“When I promoted a give-away PS5s in Union Square Park it created an unintentional dangerous situation due to the way I promoted and advertised it. The result was an unsafe situation for the people who live and work in the neighborhood, first responders, and my followers that attended the event,” the apology read. “I apologize for the disruption and damage to the community, the park, the vehicles, and the storefronts in the area…I apologize to the first responders who had to endure the backlash of this irresponsible promotion and work to restore calm.”

He also offered an apology to his followers who went to the event and did not act out, saying it was “never my intent for it to get so out of hand.”

The DA’s office said the case would be officially dismissed after that apology was on social media for a full 24 hours. Prosecutors also said none of the trio had any new arrests since the incident.

Thousands of fans of Cenat, who has millions of followers on Twitch, YouTube and other platforms, showed up after Cenat announced that he would be there giving away video game consoles and other electronic devices that afternoon. A crowd of mostly young people packed into the park, with some running running through nearby streets, swinging objects at car windows and climbing on top of buses.

What exactly turned the crowd unruly isn’t quite clear, but by 3:30 p.m. people were seen throwing garbage at police and taking down barriers around the perimeter. Witnesses reported seeing others hurling chairs and bottles.

Police said several people — including officers — were injured, including at least four who were taken to hospitals. About 65 people were arrested, nearly half of whom were juveniles. Police estimated crowds swelled to 5,000-6,000 people.

Officers eventually pulled Cenat from the massive crowd, and he was seen speaking to several officials afterward.

Cenat, who grew up in the Bronx but now lives in Atlanta, said he had planned the event as a gift to his hometown.

“I am from NY and would never want to the city turned upside down due to unwanted, irresponsible, and dangerous behavior. I wanted to do something cool and fun for people and did not think it was going to turn into something that caused harm to the city, and I should have though more about the post before I announced it,” his apology on Snapchat read. “The actions of some of the people that attended were unacceptable. At no time is it ok to act out physically in situations like this or to destroy property or try to harm people…social media is a very powerful tool to do good, but it can also cause dangerous unwanted situations if it is not used properly.”

In a video posted on Twitch about a week after the chaos, Cenat said he was “beyond disappointed” in the bad behavior that occurred. Cenat was upset about what erupted from what he said was supposed to be a fun giveaway.

“I don’t condone any of the things that went on,” he said in the video, noting how some of his followers jumped on cars and hurled bottles during madness. “None of that is cool, bro, you feel what I’m saying?”

Who is Kai Cenat?

Kai Cenat, who police said organized the giveaway that led to the chaotic scene, is a Twitch streamer and YouTuber who has been making online content since 2018, when he was still in high school. He is known for having a large fanbase, and in February 2023, became the most-subscribed Twitch streamer of all time, with more than 100,000 subscribers.

He’s won awards for his content, which includes videos of him doing various challenges, online pranks and more. In addition to those videos, he gained following for videos where he chatted with viewers on his Twitch channel, which he started in 2021.

While it didn’t appear that the stunt was a prank of any sort, he has done other prank videos like pretending to break his brother’s PlayStation 4 controller, or knocking on neighbors’ doors and running away — a video which became his first one to break a million views.

Gunshots rang out just before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday on Spring Street between Varick Street and Sixth Avenue in SoHo, according to officials. The victim was in the outdoor Urban Plaza, a public courtyard space on private property between two buildings, when multiple people rode up on Citi bikes, according to a police source.

One of the individuals took out a gun, shooting the boy in the back of the head and twice in the leg, police said. It is believed some sort of dispute broke out between the two groups before the shots were fired.

The victim was rushed to hospital, where he died from his injuries. Police later identified him as Mahki Brown, of Brooklyn. It was not immediately clear if he was the intended target.

The suspects took off on the Citi bikes immediately after. A police source shared a photo (below) showing two people on a Citi bike — one pedaling and one seated in the bike’s front basket — who are believed to be involved in the shooting.

The location of the shooting is near Broome Street Academy. Police were investigating whether the teen killed or any of those involved were students at the high school. The scene was also a block away from a center that takes in teens looking to complete their GED.

The theft took place on March 4 at a Tiffany store in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center complex, according to a criminal complaint filed by the district attorney’s office.

Yaorong Wan, 49, asked an employee to let him see several pieces, including the quarter-million-dollar ring, according to the complaint. Wan left without buying anything and the employee put the ring back in the display case.

A week later, Tiffany employees discovered during a routine inventory that the diamond ring had been replaced by a fake with a cubic zirconia stone.

Police detectives viewed surveillance footage from the store and saw Wan slip the genuine ring into his palm and switch it with the fake, according to the complaint.

Wan is also charged with stealing a diamond ring worth $25,000 from a Cartier store in the Hudson Yards complex on March 12. In the second case he pocketed the ring and didn’t leave a fake in its place, according to the complaint.

Wan was arrested Friday and arraigned Saturday in Manhattan criminal court on grand larceny charges.

He has open arrest warrants in New Jersey and in Nassau County on Long Island; is a suspect in thefts from Cartier stores in California and Florida; and also is wanted in South Korea on charges of stealing from high-end jewelry stores, Assistant District Attorney Eliana Ramelson said at his arraignment.

Wan’s attorney, Amanda Barfield of New York County Defender Services, declined to comment Monday.