Wave of subway violence in NYC leaves residents on edge

NEW YORK CITY - People in New York City are on edge after multiple subway stabbings happened this week. 

The MTA said felony assaults on the rails are up 65% from 2019 to 2024. 

In 2019, there were a total of 374 felony assaults and 579 last year.

Bronx subway stabbing

An MTA employee was stabbed Thursday morning inside Pelham Parkway subway station in the Bronx, police say. 

Officials said the worker was stabbed in the armpit around 6 :10 a.m. after an argument with an unknown individual. 

Officials said the worker was stabbed in the armpit around 6 :10 a.m. after an argument with an unknown individual. 

The victim was taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition.

Police say the suspect, believed to be around 50 to 60 years old with a beard, was last seen wearing all black clothing.

The investigation remains ongoing.  

Hell's Kitchen stabbing

Two men stabbed each other surrounding some type of fight in Hell’s Kitchen on Wednesday around 2 a.m.

Police reported the stabbing at W 49th Street and 8th Avenue where one man was stabbed in the hand and the other was stabbed in the stomach.

Both were taken to an area hospital in stable condition while charges are still pending.

Chelsea subway shove

Police say a suspect has been arrested after a man was pushed onto the subway tracks near Chelsea Tuesday afternoon, according to police.

The suspect, 23-year-old Kamel Hawkins, has been charged with second-degree attempted murder and second-degree assault.

Kamel Hawkins, the suspect arrested in connection to a man being shoved onto the subway tracks in Chelsea.

Police say Hawkins was arrested less than an hour after the attack. 

Woman set on fire in NYC subway identified

The woman who was burned to death on an F train in Brooklyn last week has been identified. 

Police say 57-year-old Debrina Kawam, a resident of Toms River, New Jersey, was sleeping on the train when the incident happened.

The Coalition for the Homeless had initially identified her as possibly homeless, but confirmation was pending verification from her family.

Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, 33, the man accused of setting Kawam on fire, has been charged with multiple counts of murder and arson. He waived his right to appear in court on Friday after being indicted.