Residents concerned after man stabbed in Upper West Side

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - There was a visible police presence Saturday morning after an overnight slashing took place at a busy Upper West Side neighborhood.

It happened just after midnight, near the north east corner of 96th Street and Broadway. The 19 year-old victim was waiting for a bus when he saw 4 men approaching.  Something didn't feel right, so he ran the other way.  Then, there was an altercation, and he was stabbed in the head.

Residents across the city are conscious of the more than 900 slashings already this year.  It is a 22 percent increase over 2015.

The NYPD unveiled a new plan to contain the crimes earlier this week. The plan is called "Operation Cutting Edge"
The department will be  increasing personnel at specific problem areas which target spots close to nightclubs and bars.

Mayor De Blasio addressed the problem on Tuesday. “They occur at a point in the week when an unusual number of people are out and unfortunately, many are under the influence of alcohol and drugs” De Blasio said.

It’s unclear if the attack overnight is tied to the city's nightlife, and some say, law enforcement simply can't stop everything.