Major crimes on New York City's public transit system have increased by 65% in 2022.
At least six people were stabbed in New York City's subway system this past weekend, with the first attack coming just hours after Democrat Mayor Eric Adams and Democrat New York Gov. Kathy Hochul revealed a new plan to combat violence on public transit, reported NBC New York.
A man was stabbed twice in a random attack on a downtown train in Manhattan on Sunday. The subway system has seen close to 300 violent incidents so far this year, reported The Daily Mail.
The 31-year-old victim was on a Southbound 6 train approaching Canal Street in the early evening, when police say a stranger plunged a knife twice into his arm without any apparent provocation, according to Daily Mail.
Sunday's attack came after a violent Saturday, when four people were assaulted in the subway system.
A man was standing on the A-C-E train platform in the 168th Street station in Manhattan when police say he was stabbed by two teens during a robbery attempt, The Daily Mail reported.
Another man was riding a southbound train in Morningside Heights, when he was knifed after asking a stranger to stop smoking.
According to the latest data from the New York City Police Department (NYPD), since the beginning of the year, there have been 276 instances of crime in the subway system. Mayor Adams announced last month he was putting more police officers on subway trains, stations, and platforms.
The crackdown came after a string of violent attacks, including the death of Michelle Alyssa Go, who was pushed in front of a train in January. Police said the suspect, Martial Simon, was homeless and had a history of "emotionally disturbed encounters."
Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said starting next week, the police department's officers will be joined by mental health workers in the subways.
"Trained people will look to assist those in need. We will enforce transit rules when necessary, but this is about helping people," she said.
Mayor Adams, a former transit police officer, and Gov. Hochul, held a press conference on Friday to announce the subway-safety plan, which will go into effect on Monday, CNN reported. It brings together the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), the NYPD, and community-based providers in "high-need" locations.
The plan will also bar people from sleeping on trains or riding the same lines all night. Hochul said the city and state can’t recover from the COVID-19 pandemic until people return to their jobs and ride the subway to get there.
"We know it’s a big problem. But shame on us if this moment in time, if we don’t turn over every single stone, find every possible way to to deal with this," Hochul said.
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