New York: Two people lost their lives, and a third sustained critical injuries after a man carried out a stabbing spree across Manhattan on Monday, according to police.

Authorities arrested the 51-year-old suspect, who they say carried out the "unprovoked" knife attacks at three separate locations.

The two male victims were transported to a nearby hospital but succumbed to their injuries. The third victim, a woman, was stabbed near the United Nations headquarters and remains in critical condition, officials reported.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams revealed that the attacker, identified as a homeless man, had recently been sentenced in a criminal case.

"Three innocent New Yorkers. Unprovoked attacks that force us to question how such a tragedy could occur," Mayor Adams stated during a press briefing.

Adams described the incident as "a glaring example" of flaws in the criminal justice system, emphasizing the suspect's "severe mental health issues" and questioning why he had been free to roam the streets.

Police said the motivation behind the attacks remains unclear.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny noted, "At this stage, these assaults appear entirely unprovoked. The suspect simply approached his victims and began attacking them with knives."

The police have shared images of two knives believed to have been used in the attacks, which were recovered at the scenes.

The first victim, a 26-year-old construction worker, was attacked near his job site. The second, a 68-year-old man, was stabbed while fishing by the East River.

The third attack occurred about two hours later when a 36-year-old woman was repeatedly stabbed outside the UN headquarters. A nearby taxi driver witnessed the assault, alerted authorities, and helped lead to the suspect's arrest.

Police have yet to release the identities of the three victims.