NEW YORK — The New York City Police Department says four people have been arrested in connection with a string of slashings on the subway Friday morning. 

According to NYPD Deputy Chief Jason Wilcox, the four people were taken into custody at approximately 11:20 a.m. Friday as they exited a northbound 1 train at the 79th Street station.

Wilcox said a police captain and a police officer spotted the four men, who, according to Wilcox, matched the description and images of wanted suspects that were being circulated.

“We are confident that we have the right people in custody at this time,” Wilcox said.

Police say five men – four of them attacked with a knife, and one punched - were attacked across four subway stations early Friday morning.

Each of the attacks happened on a southbound 4 train, according to police.

Police say it started with a man being cut on the train just before 4:30 a.m. That man exited at the Union Square station, according to police.

Authorities say two other men were then attacked a few minutes later on the train. According to police, one man was slashed with a knife, causing a laceration to his nose, while the other was punched in the face. Police say those two victims got off at Astor Place.

After that, a fourth man was slashed across the left cheek and got off at the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall Station, according to police.

All of those victims were taken to local hospitals for treatment.

According to Wilcox, one of the suspects taken into custody in connection with these incidents was also arrested in connection to a similar knifepoint robbery in January, and was released on his own recognizance in connection with that incident.

Police added that a fifth man later approached officers at the 161st Street/Yankee Stadium station and said he was stabbed in the right eye with a knife near the 59th Street/Columbus Circle station. Wilcox said that that man is now undergoing surgery at a local hospital.

The incidents come as the subways are about to return to 24/7 service on Monday.

In a statement Friday morning, NYC Transit Interim President Sarah Feinberg took aim at Mayor Bill de Blasio saying, in part, "The responsibility for these vicious attacks does not fall on an already strapped police department – it falls on City Hall and the individuals who are taking advantage of the mayor’s negligence on the issue."

Feinberg went on to say, "If he needed a wake-up call, this is it. Enough is enough. The mayor is risking New York’s recovery every time he lets these incidents go by without meaningful action."

The mayor's office was quick to respond and blasted the agency for pointing fingers and placing blame solely on City Hall.

"New York City is surging over 500 officers on top of a 2,500-strong transit force to fight subway crime," press secretary Bill Neidhardt said in a statement, referring to deployments that were made in February after fatal stabbings on the A train. "The City has pulled cops off desk duty and put them on platforms and trains. We're going to keep putting massive resources into this fight to keep our subways safe."