A 40-year-old man stabbed one fellow A train rider and a bystander who rushed to help him in lower Manhattan on July 30. The incident happened at the downtown W. 4th St. station just before 7:30 p.m. The attacker then led police on a chase through downtown before they ultimately apprehended him.
According to police, the assailant was seated on the A train with his backpack in an adjoining seat when his first victim approached him. The 55-year-old man requested that he move his bag so that he could have a seat next to him. When he refused to do so, the older gentleman picked it up himself.
The two men became involved in a heated argument and the younger man pulled out a knife and stabbed the older one in the stomach.
A 21-year-old bystander who saw what happened rushed to the victim’s aid. He was then stabbed himself. When the subway car came to a stop, the assailant quickly exited the train and fled the scene. The second victim summoned police officers to help him track the man.
Police officers determined that he ran up the stairs to the street and then traveled southbound. They later found him at the intersection of Canal and Bowery St., an area of Chinatown that is a mile from where the attack occurred.
The officers were able to easily identify the assailant because he was waving a knife in the air threatening to stab anyone in his way. Once he spotted police, he taunted them. He asked if they were going to tase him. Another bystander tackled him before police subdued him with a Taser. He was then placed under arrest.
A police spokesperson announced on the following day that the man in custody has been arrested 25 times before. He was expected to be arraigned on these latest charges in Manhattan Criminal Court on July 31. Police also announced that both victims are expected to make full recoveries from their injuries.
Defendants who are charged with violent offenses face significant jail time here in New York City. If additional charges are tacked on or aggravating circumstances are found to exist, then the penalties may be even heavier. A criminal defense attorney can advise you of your rights and counsel you as to potential defense strategies that you can pursue in your case.
