Man with autism attacked in the Bronx: NYPD

THE BRONX (PIX11) -- A 26-year-old man with autism was attacked by two men Tuesday in the Bronx, according to police.

The victim was at the intersection of Melrose Avenue and East 154th Street when two unknown men chased him and slashed him on the arm, said police. The victim’s mother said she was out running errands with her son when the men started to hit him with a stick and punch him.

The mother said, “they started fighting with him, then one guy pulled a knife.”

The men allegedly took some of the victim's clothing after the attack as well. The mother claimed that her son eventually ran to the 40th Precinct to look for help. It is still unknown why the man attacked the victim because he is highly functioning and well-liked in his community. In the meantime, neither the mother nor the victim feels safe leaving the house with the remaining men on the streets.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips.