Press Release

BRONX MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER IN KNIFE ATTACKS THAT INJURED TWO SEPTUAGENARIAN MEN ON SUBWAY TRAIN

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that a 46-year-old Bronx resident has been charged with attempted murder, assault and other crimes for allegedly stabbing 2 men on a subway train on the morning of July 5, 2020. One of the victims was a Good Samaritan, who stepped in to try to stop the violent onslaught, but was also stabbed. Aspects of the vicious attacks were caught on video.

District Attorney Katz said, “The defendant in this case is accused of stabbing a 71-year-old man in an unprovoked attack on the train. When another commuter tried to intervene, he too was viciously assaulted. This was a senseless act of violence that put both victims at grave risk. The defendant is in custody and will be held accountable for his alleged actions.”

The District Attorney’s Office identified the defendant as Patrick Chambers, 46, of Benedict Avenue in the Bronx. The defendant is being held pending arraignment in Queens Criminal Court on a complaint charging him with attempted murder in the second-degree, 2 counts of attempted assault in the first degree, 2 counts of assault in the second degree of an elderly person, 2 counts of assault in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. If convicted, Chambers faces up to 25 years in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges, shortly after 7:25 a.m. on July 5, 2020, with the train at the intersection of 52nd Street and Roosevelt Avenue, the defendant was observed sitting inside the subway car holding a knife in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other hand. Without provocation, Chambers began to yell at a 71-year-old man who sat across from him on the train.

According to the charges, said DA Katz, the defendant then approached the man and allegedly stabbed him. Both the defendant and the victim fell to the train floor and the defendant allegedly continued to stab the victim. A Good Samaritan, who is 73, then stepped in to try to stop the attack only to have a sharp blade puncture both his chest and wrist. Seconds later, the defendant rushed toward the other end of the train car and exited into the adjoining car.

Both victims were transported to a local Queens hospital to receive treatment for their injuries. The 71-year-old man sustained a large laceration to his abdomen and chest and lost approximately 2 liters of blood and had to undergo emergency surgery.

District Attorney Katz continued, according to the complaint, the defendant was immediately arrested and at that time police allegedly recovered a knife from the defendant’s pocket. The blade appeared to have blood on it. Police also recovered a pair of scissors that was retrieved near a puddle of blood in the subway car.

The investigation was conducted by Police Officer Kareem Marcano and Sergeant Christopher Collazo of the New York City Police Department’s Transit Division District 20.

The District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau will be prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Eric Rosenbaum, Bureau Chief, Debra Lynn Pomodore and Brian C. Hughes, Deputy Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Daniel A. Saunders.

It should be noted that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

**Criminal complaints and indictments are accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.