Police said that a man who was recently expelled from the Museum of Modern Art in New York City had stabbed two women on Saturday afternoon.
According to the New York Police Department, the suspect, a 60 year-old man who is well-known to authorities and MOMA, was not taken into custody Saturday night.
According to John Miller, NYPD’s Deputy commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism, the stabbing occurred at 4:15 p.m. The man approached the museum’s reception area with the stated intent of looking at a movie.
Miller stated that the man was denied membership because he was not active due to recent disorderly conduct incidents. Miller also said that he leapt over the reception desk and repeatedly stabbed two MOMA employees.
According to the NYPD, the women were transferred to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and stabilized.
Miller stated, “We have been told that they will both be fine.”
He fled the museum after police searched the area but made no arrests.
Miller stated that the letter revoking suspect’s museum membership was sent Friday. However, it wasn’t clear whether the suspect knew this before he arrived.
The police did not give any additional information about the other incidents that involved the man.
The scene was captured on video and showed museumgoers moving to safety.
MOMA announced in a tweet that the museum and its shops will close Sunday.
