Serial Stabber Arrested in "Bike-By" Stabbing

The police arrested an ex-con with a history of stabbing-while-biking in the weekend stabbing of a Queens woman walking in Long Island City. Police say Eli Granger stabbed a woman in the chest while riding on his bike. A tip to Crimestoppers led the police to Granger's home at a Greenpoint "flophouse."

Back in 1994, Granger attacked three men in similar fashion--plunging a knife as he rode on his bicycle--and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. One of his 1993 victims, Kevin Hall, told the News, "I remember being in the hospital, stabbed in the chest, and the police must have been afraid that I might die because when they caught him, they brought him into the hospital for me to identify him. I remember his face."

And WCBS 2 explains a 1993 incident:

Granger's troubles began in 1993 when he pleaded guilty to riding his bike down a Manhattan sidewalk and punching former New York City Councilman Andrew Eristoff.

Eristoff, who was sponsoring a bill allowing police to seize bikes ridden on city sidewalks, had asked Granger to ride on the street. Granger implied his arrest Tuesday was a police publicity ploy.

A police source said Granger is scary, "This is his compulsion. It's not for money or sex or any typical criminal reason. It's just because he likes to do it." Granger has a history of mental illness and told reporters he was innocent, "It's a high-profile case. I hope you will do a real investigation and find out who really did it."

Surveillance footage showed the attacker waiting for an ambulance to leave before stabbing victim Eduarda Oliva. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said he doubted that Granger knew Oliva.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on June 25, 2008 10:20 AM

Comments [rss]

JenChungsBaby

Maybe his prior ten year sentence was mitigated by the fact that he punched Andrew Eristoff.

And can I just be the first to say: Fucking Bikers!

sonyactivision

He's just another knife peddaler. New York used to be full of them.

jterry121

Some people just deserve to be castrated & decapitated

Spirit of 76

"Snakefist Von Thunderplug," all anyone has to do is check your profile here and see that of every last one of your comments is nothing but invective-filled, hateful drivel with no redeeming value. When was the last time anyone told you you were witty, funny or intelligent? Hint: they never will. I'm done with you and your trolling.

Snakefist Von Thunderplug

Re #17:

You mean where, out of a total of 21 comments, 1 person merely posed the idea of an ex and another went as far as to assume? And then only one of them posted a comment, which had nothing to do with being green, on this article. Is that what you're talking about? I wish you could see the look of utter shock on my face that you made another worthless post.

Hint: Look up snarky. And insist, while you're at it.

Seriously, are you BINGORAMIREZ's retarded cousin?

citizenerased

Where is Bingoramirez-Sharpton?

Spirit of 76

So much for the commenters who snarkily insisted a couple of days ago that it had to be a bitter ex who was responsible. Wrong once, they're back to add more worthless comments about how killing people is green.

MFer

Killing people is carbon offsetting.

But speaking of bicyclists ... we still haven't found the Time Square bomber.

And now we know why Al Sharpton was hanging out with Critical Mass. Preemptive protest.

donner

Spear Chucker I almost fell out of my chair a your comment. Good stuff.

Spear_Chucker

He should be given credit for riding a bike while attempting murder. Also, knifing, as opposed to firing a gun, is carbon neutral, I believe. Much props.

fakenewyorker

for what it's worth, he's a black dude.

JacqueMehoff

the zodiac killer was never caught. and, I think few serial killers use a bicycle. kinda hard to bungee cord a dead body on a bike rack.

dimshine

evidently he's green, i mean he uses a bicycle, not a car....

MFer

What color is he?

breaknight

I'm glad they caught him. Now lets try and put him away for a little more than 10 years this time huh?

And I thought the Williamsburg stabber was supposed to be a young kid?

meganificent

lock 'em up. he's psycho and obviously can't be trusted to be a regular member of society. this reminds me of that guy who randomly stabbed a baby a while back... he said he just felt like doing it and couldn't resist. sick.