A scowling maniac stabbed a 40-year-old stranger on the R prepare, cops stated Monday — in one in all 4 transit slashings since Gov. Kathy Hochul bragged about how secure the subways are.
The newest transit chaos unfolded at 2 a.m. Saturday, when the attacker approached the sufferer, and the 2 began arguing because the prepare traveled by the Steinway Road station in Astoria, police stated.
The nutjob pulled a knife and stabbed the sufferer thrice within the ribs and as soon as within the leg — however the sufferer managed to stumble out of the prepare and was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Middle, the place he was listed in steady situation, based on the NYPD.
He was uncooperative with investigators, sources stated.
The NYPD launched unsettling photographs of the alleged attacker — seen grimacing in a close-up picture. The slasher had stayed on board the prepare after the stabbing and was nonetheless on the unfastened late Monday, cops stated.
The conflict was a part of a violent spurt within the subway system that started only a day after the governor introduced that subway crime had dipped to its lowest stage in 16 years, and total transit crime is now almost 15% decrease than in 2019 earlier than the pandemic shutdown.
Hochul boasted the drop in crime got here after a sustained effort that put extra cameras into the subway, an outreach effort that rousted the homeless into care from the trains and a surge of cops.
The governor touted the report lows as she introduced she’s committing one other $77 million towards conserving NYPD officers within the subway system throughout 2026.
“These funds will assist over 600 officers per day and maintain riders secure and surge patrols the place they’re most wanted on the discretion of our police commissioner to assist cowl time beyond regulation for many who are doing above and past,” she stated. “To be sure that individuals can journey the subways with out worry.”
A day after her announcement, at 7 p.m. Friday, a 23-year-old man was knifed within the again on the northbound No. 1 prepare platform at 96th and Broadway, cops stated.
That assault additionally stemmed from a conflict with one other rider — a stranger — and the sufferer was hospitalized in steady situation, police sources stated.
Saturday noticed two extra assaults in Midtown, simply an hour aside.
A 38-year-old man was stabbed within the torso on a crowded 6 prepare at Grand Central Station round 5 p.m., cops and sources stated. The 2 had been arguing over how packed the prepare was, sources stated.
The attacker was nonetheless at massive as of Monday.
Then, round 6:10 p.m., a 15-year-old boy was slashed within the arm by one other teen carrying a brown jacket on the forty second Road-Port Authority Bus Terminal station on the A/C/E line, cops stated.
Sources stated two 17-year-old boys had approached the sufferer and requested him, “Are you in a gang?” The 2 have been arrested on the scene and charged with assault, menacing and reckless endangerment.
An NYPD spokesperson stated November was the most secure in recorded historical past exterior of the pandemic. There have been 167 crimes reported that month, in comparison with 222 — a 24.8% drop, the spokesperson stated.
“This was the most secure July, August, September, October, and November mixed on the subway in recorded historical past, excluding the pandemic 12 months,” the spokesperson added. “Robberies within the transit system reached their lowest ranges ever for November and the primary 11 months of the 12 months, together with the pandemic years.”
By means of Dec. 21, main crimes are down 4.6% whereas there have been 570 assaults in transit within the 5 boroughs — the identical whole for 2024, based on the NYPD. Of the felony assaults in transit, 30% have been in opposition to cops and MTA staff, the spokesperson stated.
Most straphangers The Submit spoke to Monday are taking the current uptick in subway crime in stride, saying coping with the occasional lunatic merely comes with the territory in a big-city transit system.
Jayden Gonzalez, 16, who was slumped on the bench on the downtown observe on the Fulton Road station, says, “You’ll be able to’t count on a lot from NYC” relating to subway security.
Bronx resident Jacob James, 19, who had arrange a three-piece Conga drum set subsequent to the Dunkin’ kiosk, stated he’s been enjoying the “warfare drums” together with his father and brother for almost a decade in a bid to “enhance morale” within the metropolis.
Within the subways, nevertheless, James says, “it may be a bit ridiculous at instances,” given the forged of characters driving the rails.
He stated town’s priorities are “not straight” concerning subway crime, and criticized regulation enforcement’s concentrate on fare beaters vs. extra severe crimes.
Different passengers stated they have been in a state of heightened alert after the collection of bloody assaults.
Sharon, from Brooklyn, has been driving the subways for the reason that Eighties, however stated this 12 months was the primary she felt like she wanted to “brace for influence” after a passenger acted violently on a prepare she was driving.
General, she stated she grades the subway service a “B-” and that she all the time has her trusty cane helpful for cover.
Yaron and Roni Benayoun, a married couple visiting the Huge Apple from Netanya, Israel, admitted they have been a bit uneasy taking the subway after seeing media studies on Israeli TV about final week’s assault in opposition to a Jewish man, significantly as spiritual Jews.
“If my husband will not be subsequent to me, I really feel scared,” stated Roni, 24, because the couple hopped on the 4 prepare to Bowling Inexperienced.
A 25-year-old man from Crown Heights who requested to not be recognized provided the recommendation to subway riders, “you gotta watch out and never be scared,” including that individuals shouldn’t be discouraged from taking public transit.
“Don’t cease getting on the prepare as a result of somebody may get in your face.”
