A mugger reportedly slashed a male teenager in the face and stole his cell phone aboard a New York City subway train Thursday evening — but the victim grabbed the knife from the mugger and fought back in a brutal way.

The 18-year-old victim and his friend were on the Bronx No. 2 train as it approached the Pelham Parkway station near White Plains Road in the Pelham Parkway section of the Bronx around 7 p.m. when the suspect and seven others walked through the train car, stopped the victim, and asked to see his cell phone, the New York Daily News reported.

‘Case of beer for that young person!’

The victim pulled out his phone, and the mugger grabbed the phone and started to walk off with it, which sparked a brawl, police told the Daily News.

Amid the dustup, a knife fell upon the subway car’s floor, police told the paper.

The mugger grabbed the knife and slashed his victim in the face, which left a deep gash on the teen’s face, the Daily News said.

But as the fight continued, the victim grabbed the knife from the mugger and stabbed him five times, police told the paper.

Emergency medical services arrived and rushed the mugger to Jacobi Hospital, where he was expected to survive, the Daily News said, adding that he remained in the hospital Friday and was awaiting charges related to the incident.

The teen was taken to Montefiore Medical Center, where his slash wound was treated, the paper said, adding that the victim’s friend was punched in the face during the brawl.

A police source with knowledge of the case told the Daily News that detectives said the mugger’s pals — who ran off — are responsible for several similar robberies in the Bronx and on borough subway trains.

Charges against the mugger and his victim were not immediately filed, the paper said.

As you might expect, observers commenting under the Daily News’ Facebook post about the incident gave many kudos to the teen who fought back:

“Case of beer for that young person!” one commenter wrote.”He took care of bizness!” another user exclaimed.”Great job from the victim,” another commenter noted.”That’s how it’s supposed to be,” another user declared.”Given it’s NYC, has the teen been charged yet?” another commenter quipped.”People need to fight back, glad this happened!” another user said.

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​Crime thwarted, Fighting back, Bronx, New york city, Mugging, Teen victim, Mugging victim stabs mugger, Train, Face slashed, Self-defense, Crime 

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said he might run for president again in 2028 and provide an alternative for the populist wing of the Republican Party.

Paul said he would make a decision after the midterm elections in an interview with CBS News journalist Robert Costa.

‘On many days, it’s me in the Senate, the only one left for free trade. But I think there still is a desire among business for it.’

“There’s used to be a free market/Libertarian wing of the party, and now there’s not much left. In fact, on many days, it’s me in the Senate, the only one left for free trade. But I think there still is a desire among business for it,” the senator said in a snippet posted to Instagram.

“And it may make the so-called Libertarian vote, which might not be big enough to ever win anything,” he added, “if you combine that with the Chamber of Commerce and the traditional business community that doesn’t like protectionism, there may be a force out there for a different direction from the party other than being continued to be led by populism.”

Costa directly asked him about a news headline opining that it appeared already that he was running for president.

“I don’t know yet. So maybe they know something that I don’t know,” he joked.

“We’re thinking about it,” he added. “I would say 50-50.”

Paul had a dramatic break with the Republican Party when he berated Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, the president’s nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

RELATED: Watch Rand Paul bulldoze through each global warming talking point

Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The senator objected to Mullin’s quip that Paul’s neighbor was justified when he assaulted him over a lawn dispute and broke several of his ribs in 2017. Paul was the lone Republican vote against Mullin, but Mullin was confirmed after Democratic Sen. John Fetterman (Penn.) crossed the aisle.

He has also been very critical of the administration’s justification for the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

The entire interview airs on “CBS News Sunday Morning” on Sunday.

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​Rand paul running for president, Alternatives to populism, Libertarians and business community, 2028 presidential election, Politics