NYPD Arrests Homeless Man in Subway Knife Attacks

Something has to be done to keep commuters safe!

New York Police Department officer arrested a homeless man suspected of two subway stabbings, the New York Daily News reports.

Jamar Banks, 52, is accused of stabbing an off-duty Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) subway cleaner and a second man less than 24 hours apart in the Manhattan subway system.

Banks allegedly stabbed a 31-year-old man on the No. 2 train heading uptown at the 14th St. subway station in the West Village roughly before 10 a.m. on Jan. 1. The victim told authorities the assailant walked up to him and started an argument. He then pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the back.

The victim was later taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he is in stable condition.

The attack on the MTA cleaner took place at the Pelham Parkway. Banks allegedly picked a fight with the 47-year-old transit worker before stabbing him in the back and armpit and then running off. The unidentified worker was taken to Jacobi Medical Center in stable condition.

Banks will be charged with assault and weapon possession, which will be added to the 80 prior arrests on his record.

While MTA CEO Janno Lieber highlighted that felony crimes in transit decreased by 12% in 2024 compared to 2019, but that “high-profile crimes that are alarming New Yorkers are real.”

Added Lieber, “We catch all of these maniacs. We need the criminal justice system to put them away.”

During the end of 2024 and since the start of 2025, NYC transit systems have seen their share of violent crimes.

On Dec. 29, a man was arrested for allegedly attacking his ex-girlfriend in front of her two teenage daughters at a subway station. The man faces attempted murder charges for slashing the woman’s neck with a razor blade. After failing to sever her neck, according to reports, he stabbed her in the face and pushed her onto the subway tracks. One of the the woman’s daughters stepped in and pulled her mother up to safety.

A few days prior, a sleeping homeless man was allegedly set on fire just days after a woman was lit on fire while sleeping on the F train, making national headlines. However, sources claim there is limited evidence of any criminality in the incident.

Amid safety concerns, experts have suggested different methods of increased safety so commuters can regain a sense of security. According to the New York Times, there is a need to heighten gun patrol and provide more help to people who really need it, highlighting a need to focus on mental health matters.

Another recommendation looks at creating a better—and brighter—environment on the subway tracks. In 2024, MTA announced it would convert the 150,000 fluorescent light fixtures in the system to LED lighting by mid-2026.