Police say it started after one of the teens nearly crashed into the ticket vendor on a scooter. That's when things escalated.
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The NYPD took all of the teens and the tour bus employee into custody after one of the teens was stabbed in the neck.
Now, the question is: was it an act of self-defense?
The 67-year-old employee was selling tickets for Top View Sightseeing Double Decker Tour Bus around 8:45 p.m. Thursday.
One of the teens on a scooter almost crashed into the man, sparking an argument.
Our sister station WABC was told the teens surrounded the man and tried to jump him.
A friend of the man also said the man pulled out a small knife and stabbed the 15-year-old in the neck out of self-defense.
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"He's standing out here for like 14, 15 hours selling tickets. He's standing. He's minding his own business. And five, six of them walking around acting like thugs in the middle of Times Square. Acting, no behave, no respect. And then one of them bumped him and tried to grab his jacket, you know what I'm saying? All of them around him. He's thinking he doesn't know what's going on," the tour bus ticket seller's friend said.
WABC cameras were there as police put handcuffs on four of the teens involved in the incident and took them into custody.
The 15-year-old who was stabbed tried to flee on a scooter but collapsed. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital and is expected to recover.
This is an ongoing investigation, and all five teens are expected to face charges. At this point, police have not filed any charges against the 67-year-old.