What you should know
- Two people died after being stabbed in a New York City subway on Friday night, and according to authorities, the incidents could be related to each other. Also, the police reported on Saturday about two other stabbings, in this case the victims survived.
- All the incidents occurred in the last 24 hours and on line A trains, according to police officers. The two dead were found at opposite ends of the road on this line, one in Manhattan and the other in Queens and two hours apart. Authorities believe the four victims were homeless.
- The commissioner ordered an additional 500 police officers to patrol the transit system, both inside the stations and outside. According to police sources confirmed Saturday night, a person is being questioned in relation to the attacks in the subway.
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NEW YORK – Two people have died after being stabbed in a New York City subway on Friday night, and authorities say the incidents may be related to each other. Also, the police reported on Saturday about two other stabbings, in this case the victims survived.
All the incidents occurred in the last 24 hours and on line A trains, according to police officers. The two dead were found at opposite ends of the road on this line, one in Manhattan and the other in Queens and two hours apart.
Investigating officials believe that at least three of the four stabbings that were reported since Friday morning are related. The fourth case is still under investigation, Commissioner Dermot Shea said in a briefing on Saturday afternoon.
Effective immediately, the commissioner ordered an additional 500 police officers to patrol the transit system, both inside the stations and outside.
The first victim was reported to police around 11:30 pm Friday in Far Rockaway. Officers responding to the scene found a man with stab wounds to the neck and chest inside a wagon at the station Mott Avenue Y Beach 22nd Street.
Two hours later, at the other end of line A, police say they found a 44-year-old woman, around 1:20 a.m., at the station. West 207th Street Y Broadway. Authorities responded to the 9-1-1 call and found the woman unconscious under a subway station bench. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The other two attacks, where the victims survived, involved a 67-year-old man and a 43-year-old man. Both occurred in Upper Manhattan.
Authorities believe the four victims were homeless.
Given this, the Policy Director of the Coalition for the Homeless, Giselle Routhier, said in a statement that the tragedy could have been prevented. “These devastating attacks are a reminder that not providing the dignity and security of a real home, or at least a safe and private room during this pandemic, is literally a matter of life and death. This tragedy could have been prevented. Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo must respond with real and immediate access to housing for homeless New Yorkers. “
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Police said they were looking for a man they suspected could be behind all the attacks. They were reviewing the images from the subway security cameras as part of the investigation.
“I take nothing more seriously than the safety of New Yorkers, and that certainly includes those who travel and work on our public transportation system,” Shea said Saturday.
However, according to police sources confirmed on Saturday night, a person is being questioned in relation to the attacks on the subway. They did not release further details of who he is, if he is a suspect or if he is a person of interest.
On the other hand, the interim president of the New York City Transit, Sarah Feinberg, and the president of TWU Local 100Tony Utano issued a joint statement on Saturday morning calling for an increase in police presence in the subway.
“The recent horrific attacks on the subway system are scandalous and unacceptable. Every customer, and every one of our brave and heroic transit workers deserves a safe transit system,” the statement read.
Then Feinberg was grateful that the NYPD sent more officers to the transportation system. “Over a year ago, Governor Cuomo and the MTA Board called for an increased police presence throughout our system to keep our employees and the public in transit safe, and we are pleased that the City and the NYPD have agreed to add 500 additional NYPD officers into the system, ”he said.
Crime overall has declined, according to the MTA and New York City Police, but last year saw an increase in serious crime despite a 70 percent drop in passenger numbers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The deaths of two people aboard subway cars Friday night and early Saturday are the latest in a series of violence in the subway system.
Police said a man was stabbed in the stomach in an unprovoked attack Thursday night on the 1 train platform in Christopher Street. Earlier on the same day, the uniformed officer noted that someone pushed a 72-year-old man to the ground while waiting for the 7 train at the station 5th Y West 42nd Street.
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday addressed the rise in violent crime, saying the subway is much safer now compared to how things were not so long ago.
“We always have more to do … and that is why the NYPD has added additional staff to the subway,” de Blasio said.
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