A 25-year-old man from Las Tunas, William Manuel Sánchez Jorge, shared a harrowing account during an interview with Tania Costa for CiberCuba. He described how two masked assailants ambushed him with a knife measuring between 10 and 12 inches, leaving him unconscious and stealing his motorcycle at the intersection of Zapata and G streets in Vedado. The incident unfolded after 11 PM on a Saturday night in an area reportedly plagued by at least four other assaults.
Sánchez Jorge recounted riding his motorcycle with a friend when one attacker emerged from behind a small hill near a tree, brandishing a knife, and launched a series of stabbing attempts.
"A guy jumps out with a knife about 10 to 12 inches long, stands in the middle of the road, and charges at me, aiming a stab at my chest. Thankfully, I'm alive, and it hit my arm instead," the victim explained.
"He aimed to kill; he's a murderer. I can't explain what he intended to do because he was going to kill me, not just scare or threaten me," William added, noting that during the interview, he was "still in some pain" but grateful to be alive.
The first blow intended for his chest struck his arm instead. When the attacker failed to knock him down, he inflicted a slash on William's left knee. "That's when I fall, and my friend does too, and I lose a bit of consciousness," he described.
There were two attackers. While one snatched a chain from the woman accompanying William Sánchez, the other—who had been positioned on higher ground—descended and rode off on the stolen motorcycle. The young woman, desperate, pleaded with raised hands for their lives.
"My friend begged them with her hands up to take everything but spare our lives. They took the motorcycle and her chain," William recounted.
The attackers were entirely masked, wearing ski masks that covered even their sleeves, concealing their skin color. William Sánchez suspects a motorcyclist who had been riding ahead might have signaled the attackers, though he couldn't confirm it.
The assault occurred at 11:20 PM on Saturday. William Sánchez suffered three knife wounds: one on his left shoulder, one on his knee, and another on his leg. At the hospital, doctors could only stitch two of the four sutures needed for his arm wound to allow for drainage and prevent potential infections.
"I have two stitches on my arm because they had to leave it at two instead of four in case of infections, due to limited resources," he explained.
His friend sustained a facial wound, a swollen hand, and an injured ankle from the fall.
William Sánchez emphasized that his attack was not isolated that night: "Before us, two or three others had been assaulted; in total, there were five assaults in that same area that night, which is far from normal."
Vedado has been the scene of a series of violent attacks throughout 2026. In June, residents apprehended a man after he attacked a young woman to steal her electric motorcycle at J and 21. However, Vedado is not the only dangerous neighborhood in Havana. In July, a violent attack in Alamar's Hanói Park resulted in the deaths of two 19-year-olds.
This pattern reflects a documented nationwide trend. According to data from the Cuban Citizen Audit Observatory reported by Diario Las Américas, there were 2,833 crimes in Cuba in 2025, marking a 115% increase from 2024, with thefts being the most common crime, accounting for 1,536 reported cases.
Understanding Crime in Havana
What time did the attack on William Sánchez occur?
The attack took place at 11:20 PM on a Saturday night.
How many knife wounds did William suffer?
William Sánchez suffered three knife wounds: one on his shoulder, one on his knee, and another on his leg.
Was the attack on William Sánchez an isolated incident?
No, it was not isolated. That night, there were five assaults in the same area.