A person who was denied entry to the Museum of Trendy Artwork as a result of his membership had been revoked jumped over the reception desk and stabbed two workers on Saturday afternoon, the police mentioned.

The police have been nonetheless trying to find the 60-year-old suspect hours after the incident, which started at about 4:15 p.m. The victims, who have been stabbed within the neck and again areas, have been in steady situation at Bellevue Hospital.

The letter revoking the suspect’s membership had gone out on Friday, however he appeared on the museum on Saturday, in search of to observe a movie, mentioned John Miller, the deputy commissioner for the Police Division’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureaus.

His membership had “expired on account of two incidents involving disorderly conduct right here on the museum on two separate dates in latest days,” Mr. Miller mentioned at a information convention outdoors the museum.

When the suspect was denied entry, he grew to become “upset,” after which “proceeded to assault and stab two workers of the museum a number of instances,” Mr. Miller mentioned.

He added that the suspect was recorded on video leaving the museum after the assault. He was described as a white man sporting a colourful patterned shirt underneath a black jacket, and a blue surgical masks. Mr. Miller mentioned that the suspect was “identified to the division” due to prior incidents, and that he had been a daily at MoMA.

The person had been sought in reference to two earlier incidents in Midtown, Mr. Miller mentioned, however past that, he didn’t have “an in depth report or any arrest data that we’re conscious of.”

Alessandro Pugliese mentioned he had arrived at MoMA for a 4:30 p.m. displaying of the movie “Bringing Up Child” when three attendants on the desk close to the museum’s movie entrance began screaming.

After turning round, he mentioned he witnessed the attacker stab one particular person within the again and one other within the neck. The safety guard close to the doorway proceeded to choose up what seemed to be a big binder and throw it on the attacker to distract him.

The attacker was nonetheless holding his knife when he requested the place the safety guard’s gun was, earlier than operating outdoors the museum.

“I used to be completely shocked and simply kind of froze,” Mr. Pugliese mentioned.

Many guests mentioned shouts about gunshots stoked panic. The police mentioned there was no indication that pictures had been fired.

Julia Garcia Valles, 24, a vacationer from Spain, was ready in line on West 53rd Road to enter MoMA when individuals shouting, “Taking pictures!” started to hurry out the doorways in a panic. Some fell to the ground within the confusion, she mentioned.

“We have been actually scared,” she added.

Fabien Levy, a spokesman for Mayor Eric Adams, said the mayor had been briefed on the assault, which seemed to be “an remoted, prison incident.”

Alyssa Katz, deputy editor for the native information web site The Metropolis, was on her method to meet up with associates on the museum when she saw people running out. Ms. Katz, 53, mentioned she spoke to 2 frightened French vacationers who mentioned they’d seen somebody stabbed within the underarm space.

Her good friend Mike Rubin, 55, a author who contributes to The New York Occasions and different publications, was ready for Ms. Katz within the foyer when a safety guard instructed his group to go away the constructing instantly. “It was like a sport of phone,” amongst individuals who needed to rush out, he mentioned. “Nobody knew what was taking place.”

Christian Desrosiers, 34, an entrepreneur, mentioned he was getting his ticket scanned when the commotion started.

He added that he was one of many first individuals to expire, after he noticed three ladies in entrance of him bolt for the exit.

“They rotated on a dime and began sprinting out, so I figured that I might be a part of them,” he mentioned. “Folks have been clearly hustling to get out, however no one was screaming, a minimum of on the time I used to be in there.”

Wendy Keffer, 42, was visiting the town from Austin, Texas together with her husband and two youngsters. She was strolling in for a 4 p.m. slot once they have been instructed to evacuate.

“We have been getting into the museum and as we have been about to stroll inside we noticed a whole bunch of individuals operating out and everyone was yelling shooter, shooter,” she mentioned. “It was very scary.”

Jo Walker, 24, a graduate pupil at Yale College who makes use of the pronouns they and them, was in a second-floor cafe when the incident occurred. They left by way of an emergency exit as a result of the escalator was so crowded.

“We had no concept what was happening,” they mentioned.

Zachary Small and Gina Heeb contributed reporting.