Published On: Thu, May 7th, 2026

Police identify man stabbed to death near Times Square, search for suspects ongoing


Police have identified the man who was stabbed and killed near Times Square this week as they continue to look for the person responsible.

NYPD officials said 39-year-old Leonides Baez was killed in the late-night attack outside a building on West 43rd Street near Broadway, a busy area filled with theaters, restaurants and other attractions.

Officers found him around 11:30 p.m. Monday with stab wounds to his torso and back as well as a slash wound to his face, according to police.

First responders took him to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police said Baez got into an argument with someone before the stabbing, but they’re still investigating what sparked the altercation.

Officials said they’re also still looking for at least one suspect who was wearing all-black clothing and fled the scene eastbound.

Baez’s last known address was in Worcester, Massachusetts, according to the NYPD.

Department data shows there were two other homicides so far this year through May 3 in the Midtown South Precinct, which includes the bustling hubs of Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station, Madison Square Garden, Koreatown and Manhattan Mall Plaza. There were no homicides recorded in the precinct during the same timeframe last year.

All other major crime categories in Midtown South are down or at roughly the same level compared to the same period in 2025, the data shows.

Citywide, homicides are down more than 28% compared to this time last year, while felony assaults are down just over 1%, according to officials. Police said this week that the city had its fewest killings on record for the first four months of the year, breaking the previous record set in 2018.

This story is based on preliminary information from police and may be updated.



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