Bradley Cooper Says He Could've Been Stabbed on NYC Subway While Picking Daughter Up From School

The crime rate in the US, especially violent crimes, has been on the rise in recent years, and according to CDC data, the nation's murder rate increased by 30% between 2019 and 2020, the highest single-year increase in more than a century.

Hollywood actor Bradley Cooper spoke out about a chilling event he had a few years ago while out and about in New York City.

In a recent appearance on actor Dax Shepard's "Armchair Expert" podcast, the "A Star Is Born" star stated that he was held at knifepoint in October 2019, while he was on his way to pick up his 4-year-old daughter Lea from school.

The actor decided to share the story when he and the host were discussing their Airpods Max and how often both wear headphones to listen to music, and sometimes, like many of us, become detached from the world around them.

"I used to walk around New York City all the time with [headphones[ on — this was pre-pandemic. I was on the subway, 11:45, to pick Lea up downtown at Russian school and I got held up at knifepoint," Cooper said, adding that he had never told that story before.

The actor described the encounter as "pretty insane," adding that he had "gotten way, way too comfortable in the city" prior to the incident because of the headphones. The eight-time Oscar nominee pointed out that his "guard was down."

Cooper claimed he was trying to be "incognito" since he was wearing sunglasses, a cap, and headphones when he "felt somebody coming up" to the end of the train car where he usually stood. He added that he thought the person wanted "to take a photo or something."

"I'm up against the post like it’s 'The French Connection' or some s**t, and then I, like, turned. I looked down and I see a knife," he continued, adding that it appeared the criminal's knife was about 2 1/2 inches (6.35 cm) long with a wooden handle. "I remember thinking, oh, it's a nice knife."

Cooper recalled that he did not notice the offender approaching him or hear their demands because "I have my headphones on the whole time so I can’t hear anything."

"I’m just listening to music. So it’s scored, the whole thing is scored," the actor joked, although he noted that he could not remember what song was playing at the moment.

Cooper recalled seeing the perpetrator's eyes and being "taken by how young they are." Then, the actor ran.

"I jumped over the...turnstile, hid around the white, tiled foyer entrance to the subway, took my phone out. He jumped over, running away, and I took a photo of him. Then I chased him up the stairs. He started running up Seventh Avenue. I took two more photographs of him," the star added.

Then, 'The Hangover" star said he ran up with the two NYC cops and showed them the photo he took of the suspect.

"And I’m, like, talking to them, and the guy kept saying — it was so interesting — he’s like, 'Are you stabbed?' I was like, 'No, no, no.' And he goes, ‘No, check to see if you’re stabbed,’" he continued.

Luckily, the actor was not stabbed.

"What happens is people get stabbed and they're in shock. I looked to see if he was right. It was crazy," he concluded.

Cooper, 46, and his former girlfriend, Russian model Irina Shayk, 35, had Lea De Seine, their daughter, in March 2017. The couple split up in 2019, about the same time the actor made headlines for his alleged romance with Lady Gaga as they both starred in "A Star Is Born."

However, the exes were seen together arm-in-arm earlier this month strolling in New York City for the first time since 2019, according to reports.