Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Courtney Jacobs was indicted for attempted murder and other crimes for assaulting an airport worker who was waiting for a train home at the Howard Beach-JFK subway station in May. Jacobs allegedly hit the 50-year-old man with a cane and slashed him in the chest with a knife.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, an airport worker was attempting to get home on the subway when he was targeted in an unprovoked attack by this defendant. The victim was allegedly slashed across his chest with a knife, beaten with a cane and punched by Courtney Jacobs. Despite his extensive injuries, the victim was able to alert nearby police officers who quickly apprehended the defendant.”

Jacobs, 38, of Liberty Avenue in Jamaica, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with attempted murder in the second degree, assault in the first and second degrees, two counts of robbery in the first degree, robbery in the second degree and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree.

Acting Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Gaffey continued remand and ordered Jacobs to return to court July 21. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the indictment and investigation, on May 26, at approximately 11:21 p.m., a 50-year-old airport worker, was standing on the westbound platform of the Howard Beach-JFK Airport A train station. The victim was speaking on the phone when Jacobs engaged him in a verbal dispute and then hit him multiple times with a cane. The defendant then allegedly punched the victim in the head, causing him to fall to the ground.

After the man returned to his feet, Jacobs allegedly took out a knife, stepped on the victim’s foot and slashed the victim in the chest. Jacobs then fled from the platform through an emergency exit door that led to a parking lot.

The victim went to an NYPD Transit post in the station and told officers about the attack. The officers observed Jacobs walking in a nearby parking lot and apprehended the defendant.

The victim was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for an approximately five-inch-long slash wound at the center of his chest.

Assistant District Attorney Thomas Salmon 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, Roni Piplani and Timothy Regan, Deputy Bureau Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.