INSIDE EDITION caught up with the man who became a hero after overpowering a knife-wielding accused murderer on a New York City subway.
A huge ugly scar twists across the head of a man being hailed as a hero today. Joseph Lozito suffered the horrific injuries when he overpowered a raving lunatic who police say is responsible for a bloody spree that left four people dead.
40-year-old Lozito confronted accused killer Maksim Gelman on a subway train as Gelman tried to force his way into the motorman's booth. Witnesses say it was like a scene from The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3.
"You saw the ones in the back of my head," as Lozito shows INSIDE EDITION and points to multiple spots on his head, and below his eye. "He hit me with an eight or nine inch blade, like a carving knife I guess."
Lozito says the accused killer slashed at him wildly.
"He said, 'You're going to die, you're going to die.' That's what he said and he lunged at me. I knew if I didn't do something he was going to kill me. I just charged at him and tried to take him down," said Lozito.
Lozito is from Philadelphia and is a martial arts fan. He used his knowledge that he picked up from TV to overpower the accused killer and says, "I have no martial arts background. No fighting background other than watching it on TV."
The heroism of Lozito brought a weekend of mayhem and bloodshed to end.
Police say 23-year-old Gelman stabbed his stepfather to death, a young woman he was obsessed with, and her mother. Gelman also hijacked two cars and police say he killed a pedestrian in a hit and run.
An outraged crowd screamed abuse at Gelman after his arrest but he snarled right back.
Gelman met his match when he attacked Lozito. Strangers wanted to shake the hero's hand in Times Square today, even cops.
Lozito's wife Andrea had a Valentine's Day kiss for her hero.
