Video shows knife attack near Times Square. Here’s what happened.

NEW YORK — The NYPD says a tourist was the victim of an unprovoked knife attack near Times Square over the weekend and the shocking crime was captured on video.

It happened Saturday afternoon at Eighth Avenue and West 43rd Street.

What the surveillance video shows

The footage shows the suspect, 61-year-old Cyril Destin, getting up from his walker and attacking two women with a large knife.

One of the women is then seen inspecting her sweatshirt as they slowly back away.

Police said the 36-year-old victim, who is from Pennsylvania, was treated and released from the hospital.

A witness described what she saw.

“He took the knife and stabbed the lady for no reason,” the witness said.

Additional videos obtained by CBS New York show the moment police made the arrest. A knife can be seen on the sidewalk.

Police said Destin has been arrested more than a dozen times in the last two years for mostly minor crimes and is now facing charges of assault and weapons possession. They said he lived in public housing just around the corner. After his arrest, officers took him to Bellevue Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. He was later released from hospital and remains in police custody.

Suspect was described as a “nice guy” by an employee at a nearby deli

“I don’t know what happened to him,” said a man named Anwar, who works at Port Gourmet Deli, which provided the surveillance video.

Anwar said the suspect was a regular customer.

“Nice guy. Every time he comes in he doesn’t bother anyone, but I don’t know what happened to him last night,” Anwar said.

Saturday’s latest attack in the Midtown South Precinct

Police said the suspected stabbing was part of a wave of attacks in the Midtown South Precinct, which includes Times Square. There were 191 crimes between April 7 and May 5, an increase from 153 in the same period last year, a 25% increase.

Tourists who spoke to CBS New York were understandably alarmed.

“That’s a little scary considering we’re four women just walking around downtown, so yeah, very scary. It makes me want to go back there,” said Stacey Battelon, who was visiting from Nashville.

“It could be anyone, and it definitely makes you more aware of your surroundings,” added Tessa Ragle of Detroit.