Bronx Man Loses Fingers Defending Dog from Machete Attack

A disturbing incident occurred in the Bronx on Friday, January 24, 2025, around 11:30 a.m., when 34-year-old Tayquon Young was walking his 4-year-old pit bull, Chanel, near Southern Boulevard and East 178th Street. Chanel approached another man's smaller dog in a playful manner, which led to an altercation. The other dog owner became enraged and threatened to behead Chanel, then pulled out a machete approximately 30 inches long. When Young intervened to protect his dog, the assailant struck him with the machete, severing four fingers from Young's left hand.

Young was rushed to the hospital, where doctors performed a 13-hour surgery to reattach three of the severed fingers; the fourth finger could not be recovered. He remains in stable condition. The attacker fled the scene and is currently at large. The NYPD has released surveillance images of the suspect and is seeking public assistance in identifying him.