2 men arrested after separate subway stabbing sprees in New York City
SPRINGFIELD GARDENS, Queens (WABC) -- Two men are under arrest after a series of separate stabbings across New York City, including three on the subway in one day.
A 27-year-old Queens man is in custody for two subway stabbings on Wednesday -- at Columbus Circle and in the Bronx.
The suspect, identified as Mark Ford of Queens, was spotted in the Bedford Park station in the Bronx at 7:20 a.m. Thursday, and after a brief chase, was taken into custody. He was in possession of two knives at the time of the arrest.
He has multiple prior arrests, including five in the last 12 months for charges ranging from assault to sex crimes.
He was charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon in both attacks.
The two stabbings are not related to the stabbing on the subway in Brooklyn on Wednesday morning, which is now linked to Queens stabbing suspect Jermain Rigueur, who was walked from the 113th Precinct in Jamaica on Thursday.
Rigueur, the suspect in the spree of unprovoked stabbings in Queens, has been charged with attempted murder in the attacks on five people.
He was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Springfield Gardens, just blocks away from where a handful of attacks took place. When detectives searched his home, they found the hunting knife he allegedly used during the stabbings.
Police say the 27-year-old is connected to several stabbings on or near subways and an MTA bus. The first two stabbings were back-to-back attacks at 7:30 a.m. and 7:35 a.m. at 134th Avenue and 161st Street.
A 74-year-old man was stabbed in the lower abdomen while escorting his wife to work. The suspect then ran to 161st Street where he stabbed a 41-year-old man in the back while he was leaving his residence to move his car, police said. Both victims were taken to Jamaica Hospital and are expected to survive.
The third attack happened about 25 minutes later at Parsons Boulevard and Archer Avenue.
The 36-year-old victim was on his way to work when he boarded an MTA bus and sat next to the suspect. The victim and suspect then got into a verbal dispute over a seat. Police say they both exited the bus, where the suspect stabbed the victim once and ran away.
Authorities said Rigueur is also responsible for stabbing a 34-year-old woman who was walking home from work just after midnight on Tuesday near 158th Street & 134th Avenue.
The woman was taken to the hospital and was said to be stable.
Police also linked the suspect to a fifth incident on Jan. 8 where a 61-year-old man was stabbed in the lower back at the intersection of 157th Street and 137th Avenue. The man was taken to the hospital and was said to be stable.
During a press conference on Thursday morning, police said Rigueur is now linked to a subway stabbing in Brooklyn.
In that case, a 28-year-old man was riding a northbound J subway train when a man walked up to him and stabbed him in the abdomen in an unprovoked attack around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday.
He has not been charged yet in that attack.
Rigueur has no criminal history and police say he used a hunting knife to stab his victims -- a stark contrast to what he did for work as he welcomed patients at Woodhull Hospital.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated attack tied to the subway, police continue to search for the person responsible for fatally shooting a beloved school crossing guard on a train in Brooklyn.
ALSO READ | Photos released of suspect in deadly subway shooting of crossing guard
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
