Suspect Arrested in Subway Stabbing

WPIX

Three men are in police custody today in connection with the Sunday morning fight on a No. 2 train that left two men fatally stabbed and another injured. Sources tell ABC that during questioning by detectives, one of the men implicated himself in the stabbings and has been arrested at the 6th precinct station house. Speaking to City Room, NYPD spokesman Paul J. Browne declined to provide any information on "how we identified these individuals."

To recap: The violence broke out around 5 a.m. as a group of ten friends were riding to Brooklyn after partying at a Bryant Park club. One of the men tried to toss a bag of beer bottles out of the train as it stopped at the 14th Street Station, but instead, the garbage hit an unidentified man boarding the train with his friends. The assailant took it personally and quickly flew into a homicidal rage. Darnell Morel of Newark and his friend Ricardo Williams were stabbed to death, and the perp is believed to have fled at the Christopher Street station, which does not have surveillance cameras.

Today the Daily News published an irate editorial excoriating the MTA for awarding a $212 million contract to Lockheed Martin for an elaborate "Electronic Security Program" in 2005. Lockheed Martin's plan included an expensive artificial intelligence feature that, in the words of NYC's comptroller, "had already been rejected by London transit officials as being ineffective." The deal has foundered in failure and litigation, with both sides suing each other, and the subway system's stuck with more than 2,000 inoperable surveillance cameras.

The News also notes that a pizzeria's surveillance camera might have caught footage of the perp as he fled the Christopher Street station, had he only exited up one of the two stairways to the left. Instead, he went right, where no cameras record who leaves the subway. "If something else happens at the Christopher St. station, let's hope the bad guy goes left up the steps to those $89 Panasonic cameras that can do what the MTA couldn't with $300 million," seethes columnist Michael Daly.

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

By John Del Signore in News on April 1, 2010 11:59 AM

Comments [rss]

jaycjay

"hit an unidentified man boarding the train with his friends."

While that was the initial report, police and witnesses among the group who were with the men who got stabbed have since said that he (the one who was hit by the bottles) and his friends were already on the train when they boarded.

He was standing near the door, and was struck in the head by the bag containing bottles.

dianna1984

It’s true that no one should lose their life over a brawl. However, as human being we have defense mechanisms and therefore if our life feels threaten we are going to defend ourselves. Why would over 10 male be on the train at five in the morning drinking and throwing beer bottles at people. The media makes them look so innocent but there are always two sides to a story. Also how many were in the other group? 10? 4? 5? We should wait till everything comes out before we judge. Remember it could be you one day being judged.

I also dont believe that the suspect just when crazy for no reason but that they threw garbage on him.

Splicer

Thank goodness criminals like this are essentially stupid and get themselves caught. I don't feel any safer now, just glad that this fool will be going away.

theevilone

I never felt unsafe as a result of this. Then again, I don't ride the subway drunk at 5am throwing shit at people.

cxb

BE WARNED: the NYPD has gotten caught FRAMING thousands of men and getting "Confessions" that were COERCED (and then you suckers paid over $1 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits from it!)

ALSO, NYPD SPOKESCROOK PAUL BROWNE has gotten caught lying on thousands of occasions, which is why Rudy and Mike gave him over 200% in pay raises!

(Man this recession sure is a bitch, eh?)

theevilone

You should run for office and save us.

Greenpoint60

But they will surely put the suspects in a lineup for the survivor to view. However, your point is well taken that the NYPD has framed people in the past.

henryhamilton

This story still has a way to go. They are still nowhere near the truth. When the dust settles......plead to manslaughter. I don't believe the vic's are all that innocent.

cxb

You know what would've prevented this?

THOUSANDS OF NO-BRAINER SOLUTIONS, but then, Tax Hike Mike can't figure out how to repave our third-world streets (which is why 100% of the media endorsed him for a THIRD term).

EX: DO YOU REALLY THINK EDUCATION HAS NO SAY IN HOW YOUNG PEOPLE TURN OUT???

B/c Mike Bloombag has been IN CHARGE of educating NYC's ghetto population for 8 FUCKING YEARS NOW!!!

I can go on with more concrete examples, but I dont' think any of you give a damn about fixing this city.

theevilone

Yes, this 20-something stabber has Bloomberg to blame for not educating him in a system he may or may not have attended. Get a grip, psycho.

longacre

Not throwing beer bottles at random subway riders at 4am is also a good preventative measure.

Mr Mel

You mean the Mayor didn't teach them that.

VorneliusCanderbilt

Good riddance. Now this piece of garbage can see how "hard" he really is...(As I'm guessing killing 2 unarmed defenseless kids doesn't rank high on the "earn your stripes" meter?)

xgeyiph772

No amount of cameras or token clerks would have prevented this from happening. What would have prevented it? Maybe if a gang of 10 kids didn't get all drunk in Times Square and then decided it was a good idea to throw beer bottles out the car as it pulled into a station. And maybe if the guy who got hit by the trash didn't get all upset and whip out a knife. No cameras or token clerks snoozing in their booth can stop human nature. The guy got caught, he'll be found guilty and do his time. As for the MTA wasting $300M on useless cameras, that's the real crime here.

Sinchy

Like I said the other day- Lockheed Criminal organization sucking money from taxpayers be it NYC or the pentagon

Capitalists are ruining this country.

The city sucks too.