Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Anthony Thomas, 58, has been charged with attempted murder and assault in the stabbing of a motorist who was parking his car on the block. The defendant allegedly pulled out a kitchen knife and attacked the victim, stabbing him multiple times Sunday, May 23, 2021.

District Attorney Katz said, “No one has a right to the parking spot in front of their home. The City’s streets are public and accessible to everyone. This was a vicious and senseless attack on a man who was just visiting friends in the neighborhood. The defendant – who had no right to block off any part of a public street with traffic cones – became enraged when the victim parked in front of the defendant’s residence and allegedly attacked without provocation. In custody, he now faces serious charges.”

Thomas, of Mentone Avenue in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, was arraigned last night before Queens Criminal Court Judge Denise Johnson on a complaint charging him with attempted murder in the second degree, assault in the first degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. Judge Johnson set his return date for May 28, 2021. Thomas faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

According to the charges, said DA Katz, shortly after 5 p.m. on May 23, 2021, the victim drove onto Mentone Avenue and attempted to park his vehicle. The defendant spotted the 49-year-old man moving the orange cones that blocked the street in front of his home in order to park his vehicle. After the man parked the car in front of the defendant’s house, Thomas came out to curse at him and then returned inside his home. The victim then joined his friends across the street for an outdoor event. Thomas subsequently exited his home multiple times to scream at the victim until eventually the vehicle was moved to a different parking spot. After the car was relocated, Thomas again exited his home, crossed the street, and continued to yell at the victim. That’s when Thomas allegedly removed a kitchen knife from his sock and began to chase the victim.

Continuing, according to the charges, Thomas allegedly stabbed the victim multiple times in the chest, abdomen and arm. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital with a collapsed lung, massive intestinal injuries and other serious wounds as a result of the attack. Responding police officers found the weapon stained with blood in the defendant’s home dishwasher.

The investigation was conducted by Detective Brendan Parpan of the New York City Police Department’s 105^th Precinct Detective Squad.

Assistant District Attorney Alyssa Wanderon of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Shawn Clark, Bureau Chief, Michael Whitney, Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney of Major Crimes Daniel Saunders.