Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Johnny Wood was charged with attempted murder, assault and weapon possession for stabbing a subway rider onboard an E train on Saturday. The 54-year-old victim confronted Wood about a noisy cellphone conversation, an argument ensued and then Wood allegedly stabbed the man in the ribcage.

District Attorney Katz said: “Every New Yorker knows how important it is to be able to travel on mass transit safely. Our subways need to be a viable option so that the city can thrive. Altercations cannot be resolved with violence. As alleged, the defendant got into an altercation with another rider and stabbed him in the ribcage, causing life-threatening injuries. He is now charged with attempted murder and other crimes.”

Wood, 50, of Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, was arraigned last night on charges of attempted murder in the second degree, assault in the first degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the third and fourth degrees. Queens Criminal Court Judge Sharifa Nasser-Cuellar remanded the defendant and ordered him to return to court on November 28. If convicted of the top count, Wood faces up to 25 years in prison.

According to the charges and investigation, on November 22, at approximately 11 a.m., the defendant and the victim were on a World Trade Center-bound E train at the Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer station waiting to depart.

The victim asked Wood to stop talking loudly on his cell phone and the two men argued. Wood then allegedly took out a knife and stabbed the victim once in the ribcage area.

Wood got off the train while it was still at the station and fled.

He was arrested yesterday in Brooklyn.

The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment of fractures to his ribs, a stab wound to the ribcage and an injury to his chest cavity.

Assistant District Attorney Brendan J. Quinones of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael Whitney, Bureau Chief, and Roni C. Piplani and Timothy Regan, Deputy Bureau Chiefs, under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.