Deli argument on the Lower East Side leaves three men wounded; police seek man in top hat

An argument in front of a deli near Bowery and Delancey Street turned violent at about 1:15 a.m. Wednesday, leaving three men with stab wounds on the Lower East Side. Police are looking for a man in his 40s who wore a black top hat.

According to police, the dispute started between the man and a 26-year-old, who was then cut in the stomach area. Investigators said the attacker used a sharp object. Two other men tried to intervene and were wounded as well, police said. A 21-year-old suffered a wound to his left shoulder, while the youngest, 19, was hurt in his left arm.

Emergency crews brought the three men to Bellevue Hospital, where all are listed as stable. Their names have not been released, and police have given no motive.

Lower East Side stabbing: what police say about the man they want

The man police want has dreadlocks and appeared to be in his 40s, investigators said. Besides the top hat, he was dressed in black pants, black gloves and a black sweater marked with white stripes along the arms. The confrontation took place a short walk from the Bowery subway station, and police said he fled west along Delancey Street.

No weapon turned up at the scene, and no one is in custody. Police said they do not yet know whether the man had any connection to the three people who were hurt. The investigation is ongoing.

Felony assaults in the 5th Precinct

Bowery and Delancey falls within the 5th Precinct, which takes in much of southeastern Manhattan. So far this year, felony assaults there have held relatively steady, according to NYPD data, mirroring the pattern across the rest of the city.