Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Tyquan Manassa was arraigned late last night on charges of assault and weapon possession for an unprovoked attack on two commuters inside the Union Turnpike-Kew Gardens train station on Wednesday. Both victims were slashed in the face while waiting for the train to arrive.

District Attorney Katz said: “This random violence is every commuter’s worst nightmare, and we will aggressively prosecute those who cause mayhem on our mass transit system. As alleged, two victims were simply waiting for the train in Kew Gardens when this defendant approached them and – without provocation – slashed them both in the face. I thank the brave good Samaritans who rushed to aid their fellow commuters immediately after this senseless attack and the police who quickly apprehended this defendant.”

Manassa, 27, of 65 Charles Gay Loop in Manhattan, was arraigned late last night on a criminal complaint charging him with four counts of assault in the first degree, four counts of assault in the second degree and one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. Queens Criminal Court Judge Anthony Battisti ordered the defendant to return to court on November 25. If convicted, Manassa faces up to 25 years in prison.

DA Katz said that, according to the charges, on November 19, between 3:10 p.m. and 3:25 p.m., Manassa – who was dressed in a black jacket, black pants and grey sneakers – approached a subway passenger who was standing on the E & F train platform at the Union Turnpike-Kew Gardens subway station and repeatedly struck the man with a sharp object causing a laceration to his forehead and ear.

Manassa walked away and allegedly slapped another bystander across the face.

Shortly afterwards, the defendant approached a third man on the platform and allegedly struck the man in the face with a knife, causing bleeding to the victim’s eyebrow. Manassa then fled the subway station.

The first victim was taken to a local hospital where he received 16 stitches. The second stabbing victim received seven stitches for the injuries he sustained in the attack.

Manassa was arrested on Friday at criminal court in Manhattan.

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