Stabbing on subway disrupts 1 train service in Manhattan
A suspect is facing charges after a stabbing in the subway Monday morning in New York City.
It happened just after 6 a.m. aboard a southbound 1 train at the 145th Street station in Manhattan.
Police say a 56-year-old man was stabbed at least three times on the the top of his head.
According to police sources, the suspect sat next to the victim while he was sleeping on the train. The suspect then shoved him, and an argument took place. That's when the suspect pulled out a knife, stabbing the victim in the head. He was rushed to Mt. Sinai-Morningside hospital in stable condition and is expected to survive.
The suspect, 25, was taken into custody and charged with two counts of felony assault and weapons possession. Police sources say the suspect has three prior arrests for felony assault and weapon possession and fare evasion.
Service along the 1 line was disrupted as police investigated the incident. It has since been restored.
"That is sad, but also not surprising, given the amount of people who have just been living at either ends of the subway station," Hamilton Heights resident Tyler McCombe said.
"It just reminds me to stay vigilant when I'm here, and to just be aware of my surroundings and still not walking in fear or being afraid to get on the train. Because every time I come here, I've never had an incident. I've lived here for like 20 years," one Washington Heights resident said.
Subway crime in the spotlight amid congestion pricing debate
The stabbing comes as the MTA and Gov. Kathy Hochul are engaged in a back-and-forth with U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over safety in the subway system. Just last week, Duffy accused the MTA of giving the feds "the runaround," citing "a dramatic uptick in subway assaults."
On Monday, Hochul said overall crime in the subway has dropped by 3.2% year-to-date compared to 2024, and by nearly 10% vs. pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
"MTA ridership, performance and safety are all improving dramatically in 2025, serving nearly six million New Yorkers every day and keeping New York moving," Hochul said. "Thanks to the investments we're making in safer, more reliable and more frequent service, riders are benefitting every day. When transit is thriving, New York is thriving."
"The new MTA is a business-like organization that delivers for customers, and the proof is in the data – soaring ridership, historic levels of on-time performance and major improvements in customer satisfaction," MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said.
The debate about subway crime comes as Duffy and New York battle over the fate of congestion pricing. Duffy previously insisted the cameras must be switched off and the toll shut down because he has rescinded its permission. Duffy warned New York faced consequences if the program remained in effect and, since issuing that warning, he has been hammering at the MTA over subway safety.
"Crime is way down, ridership is up"
The MTA and Hochul, meanwhile, marked six months of the congestion pricing program on July 5. They touted it as a success, saying traffic was down and business was up in the congestion zone. Revenue from the program was on track to hit $500 million this year.
"The bottom line ... crime is way down, ridership is up, and congestion pricing is an amazing success. Everybody recognizes it. Eventually they'll figure it out in Washington," Lieber said last week.
During last week's exchange, the demanded the MTA answer the following questions:
- What criteria have NYCT established to select safety risk mitigations that have the highest probability of reducing safety risk
- What metrics has the agency established to measure effectiveness of safety risk mitigations once they have been implemented
- What percentage of cameras are in working order and how long recordings are maintained
- Whether the agency is considering revising rolling stock design requirements to require all new train cars to be equipped with open gangways that prevent access to the outside of train cars
The feds provided the MTA $2.1 billion in funding in 2024, including $1.2 billion to keep the system in a state of good repair.
