Cops catch knife-wielder who injured four in uptown slashing spree

Cops catch knife-wielder who injured four in uptown slashing spree
BY KERRY BURKE, ALISON GENDAR and ETHAN ROUEN
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Tuesday, March 18th 2008, 4:00 AM

Emergency crew assists stab victim
after four were hurt in Hamilton Heights.
Savulich/News
A lunatic with a knife slashed his way down Broadway Monday, injuring four people, including a teen who was stabbed in the chest, police said.
Cruz Venturas, 40, began his rampage on 140th St. in Hamilton Heights shortly before 2 p.m., cops said.
Although cops nabbed him within six minutes, he was able to seriously injure Daniel Cullell, 18, who was on his way to pick up his niece from elementary school, police said.

"The guy came running out of the liquor store and stabbed him right in the chest," said Iluminada Cullell, 76, the teen's grandmother. "I just hope he's going to be all right. I'm so nervous. Danny is a good boy."

Cullell was taken to St. Luke's Hospital. Two of his friends and another person suffered minor injuries before Venturas dropped the knife when cops arrived, witnesses said.

"They got out of their cars with their guns out," said Jose Rondon, 66, who witnessed the attack. "The police said, 'Put it down, put it down.' He dropped it, and they grabbed him."
Venturas has a reputation in the neighborhood for being unstable and violent, witnesses said. Neighbors said he had been locked up before for stabbing people at a dance.

"They let him out to do it again," Rondon said. "Everybody knows him as real trouble, but how crazy could he be if he dropped the knife when the police told him to."

kburke@nydailynews.com

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sippyg Mar 18, 2008 5:52:55 AM Report Offensive Post Sounds like the slasher knew these people.""They got out of their cars with their guns out"-tourists probably thought that they was filming a tv show.

Bobby_G Mar 18, 2008 7:44:16 AM Report Offensive Post If there was one citizen with a legal handgun and some training the game would have been over for this SOB and several people's lives would not be irreparably changed. The cops did a great job but law-abiding New Yorkers need to protect themselves and have the freedom to do so without legal repercussions.

DANTEJ32 Mar 18, 2008 7:52:51 AM Report Offensive Post If it was not for the UNCONSTITUTIONAL law of not being able to own a handgun. If I were i NYC right now I would challenge the law. Every law abiding citizen should be able to carry a handgun.

Tiny Wine Mar 18, 2008 8:38:26 AM Report Offensive Post I really hope Daniel will have a full, speedy recovery. So many people walking around with mental problems who should be getting care, are not. Too many cuts on programs which used to house people are a thing of the past. No one to monitor the taking of medication. They are left to their own devices. This is a really big problem.

in my humble opinion Mar 18, 2008 9:03:56 AM Report Offensive Post i keep saying they should get these lunatics off the streets...the guy has a history of violence ....how come he is still walking freely ????????........years ago they used to have people like this committed and medicated.....the streets were a lot safer then.....except for your neighborhood mugger of course....lol.....

mswinton28 Mar 18, 2008 9:48:44 AM Report Offensive Post He probably wants to go back to the institute and didn't know how to admit himself.

Nuggets Mar 18, 2008 10:03:03 AM Report Offensive Post second offense. 50 lashes. If he lives he'll remember the pain forever.

yezir Mar 18, 2008 10:04:20 AM Report Offensive Post to sippyg...it was the cops who came out with guns drawn...this sux...this is right by my house!

Aint_Haten_On_U_Yet Mar 18, 2008 1:40:16 PM Report Offensive Post the reason he is out walking the streets is because the government is closing down the psychiatric hospitals/facilites to build more jails. thats whats wrong with out system instead of giving the mentally ill the help they need. they are locking them up in prison with no help, medication, nor counseling. then letting them right back out on the street again. MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE CULLELL FAMILY I HOPE DANNY MAKES A COMPLETE AND SPEEDY RECOVERY GOD BLESS YOU ALL

yvonneinqueens Mar 18, 2008 3:52:08 PM Report Offensive Post they should shoot in the legs or arms so they render a maniac powerless. we need sharp shooters

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