A late-night northbound 6 train ride in Mott Haven turned violent Tuesday when a 32-year-old woman was slashed multiple times at the East 149th Street station, according to police. Officers found her with cuts to her left arm, chest and lower back. She was taken to a nearby hospital and is expected to recover, authorities said. One person was taken into custody, and investigators say the case is still very much active.
Scene and police details
Officers were called to the East 149th Street station at about 11:30 p.m., according to News 12 New York. A source told the outlet that a scalpel was recovered on the platform and that detectives believe the attack may have grown out of an earlier dispute between the people involved. Police say one person is in custody, but no charges have been filed yet, and the investigation is ongoing.
Where it happened and transit context
The East 149th Street station is located at East 149th Street and Southern Boulevard in Mott Haven and is served by the 6 train, per East 149th Street station. While citywide transit crime overall has been roughly flat this year even as major crime has dropped, according to the NYPD, local patterns can shift quickly from neighborhood to neighborhood and even station to station.
Mott Haven's recent run of subway assaults
This latest slashing adds to a string of recent violence on the 6 line in the area, including a May incident in which a train worker was attacked, per conductor punched at 138th Street, along with other platform assaults reported by local outlets. According to News 12 New York, incidents reported to the 41st Precinct transit unit are up about 70 percent this year, with 18 cases logged so far compared with 10 at the same point last year.
Investigation and next steps
Police recovered a scalpel at the scene and say they are tracking down leads as they work to piece together what triggered the confrontation. Investigators have not publicly identified the person in custody and have not gone beyond citing an apparent prior dispute as a possible motive. Detectives are still canvassing for video and witnesses, and prosecutors will decide on any potential charges as the NYPD builds its case.
