Subway murders are rare these days. In fact, prior to last night, there had been just one recorded murder in the subway system this year and only two in 2008. But at around 2 a.m. on a Bronx-bound D train, a 37-year-old man, identified by The Post as Geraldo Sanchez, got into a fight with a 36-year-old and stabbed him repeatedly in the face and neck. The 36-year-old is dead, and Sanchez was arrested after a conductor heard the scuffle and locked the train doors.
According to reports (Post, Daily News), the deadly confrontation happened in the first car of a train with approximately 24 other riders. Sanchez reportedly asked the victim to move a bag off a seat so that he could sit down, and the victim refused to do so. Sanchez reacted with deadly force. So take a lesson: When one passenger asks another to move a bag off a seat late at night, it’s probably a good idea to do it.
25 comments
On the BMT? The D train in Manhattan runs 100% on IND lines.
Charming. Yeah, I usually assume the worst about my “fellow” passengers when I’m riding at that time. A car with only 24 passengers would seem to have a lot of empty seats to me. A person requesting me to move my bag (which I never place on a seat, but just suppose) is very likely a crazy person. I would move my bag–and myself to another part of the train.
The trouble with moving yourself, not just the bag, could be that it’s not always a good idea to show somebody that you are getting away from him. Some guys might be tempted to go after you, because in his mind you insulted him by walking away like that.
This could be especially true in the case of a man who is deliberately looking for an excuse to attack somebody.
Yeah, I thought of that too after I posted. It’s an uncomfortable situation, to be sure. I guess really I would probably just move my bag. I’ve never been in such a situation, so I dunno for sure.
I give body language that I’m getting off soon (fumble with my bag, look at my watch) and then excuse myself to the next car and maybe the next one after that to be on the safe side. If a cop were to intercept me, I’d point out the suspicious character in the previous car that made my hair stand on end.
Agreed – In my short time here so far I can already see “crazy” in the most mundane of scenarios and know enough to look out. A guy looking to sit in a specific spot where other seats abound is not looking to sit down, he’s looking to cause or be trouble.
One thing I always get alarmed about is when people who seemingly have no cause whatsoever to do so, start moving between cars. As soon as I hear that car door open and see someone coming in from the preceding car, I assume it’s trouble of one grade or another. Whether that trouble will involve me or not, or will be serious, is another question – I just know it isn’t good.
I also don’t like people who are “in their own world” too much. For example, people who start humming or singing loudly under headphones have disconnected to a point where, just maybe, they’ll do anything.
Actually, there IS a legitimate reason to move between cars–it saves a few seconds because you’re traveling while the train is moving as opposed to doing it after you get off. This used to be a lot more common before they prohibited it a few years ago.
As for people who are “in their own world”…. lots of people see nothing wrong with “expressing” their appreciation of the music in this way… I just find it rude. I’ve never really seen anything harmful about it. Just annoying.
Wow Van Cortland……a man is dead and all you can add is the D Runs on the IND in Manhattan?I can just about guarantee that the victims family couldn’t give a rats @$$ if the train was on the IND,BMT,LIRR.Septa,CTA
or the London underground. I am guilty of using the other seat for a bag and just about everyone does.Thats why when anyone asks for the seat,I have no problem.
You know, Ben, of all lessons I’d learn from this, “Take off your bag” is at the bottom of the list. I’m more interested in something like “How come there were 24 people on the car and nobody tried to stop the attack?”.
Not if he’s holding a knife…
From the NYDN: “The 36-year-old Johnson, believed to be homeless, refused and punched Sanchez in the face. Sanchez pulled out a steak knife and stabbed him several times in the neck and face, cops said”
I make it a point to never be “married” to a seat. Be ready to skedaddle at a moment’s notice. Even for the most politically incorrect reasons and in the most inconvenient ways.
I think one report suggested that the victim may have hit the stabber first. Obviously the reaction was disproportionate, but this isn’t necessarily an open and shut case.
A) According to Eric, it looks like the problem was that this guy got in a fight with someone who was carrying a knife. The bag was not the main issue.
B) If it were just about something like a bag, there is no real element of control that anyone has about whether they get killed in that situation. If someone were crazy enough to kill another person over a bag in a seat, the bag is not the main issue here. They could just as easily have committed murder because of the clothes the other person was wearing. Moving your bag is no defense against insane murderous psychopaths.
Actually no, that was not what I was saying. At the time I was merely pointing out that according the the NYDN both were physical with one another and that it takes two to tango.
And just to be extremely clear, a punch to the face by itself does not justify pulling out a knife and stabbing someone and I’m not saying that this was a justified killing.
Amen to that Alon. How is it that 24 people were in the car and nobody did anything to stop it? Perhaps it was a quick attack with an early fatal wound or perhaps it was just city indifference?
I wouldn’t put my life in danger to stop someone from attacking someone else.
Me neither. Not everyone is a “hero”, nor should they be expected to be. The rational response to seeing a knife-weilding lunatic is to get away.
I agree with Ellie — I’ll happily get someone’s attention, but I doubt I’d throw myself between a knife and a potential victim. (If the potential victim were a young child, however, I might do it. I always find myself keeping a cautious eye on the very young ones… not sure why).
What strikes me as odd, though, is we’re taught to ride in the first car with the train operator, or the middle car with the conductor, when it’s late. Here, the motorman probably didn’t have a clue what was happening behind him. Not that I fault him for anything.
Either way, this is very disturbing news. Fortunately, the cops were ready when the train got to the station, and the guy didn’t go on a rampage when the doors wouldn’t open.
There should be an added security in the area. I was in Asia one time and in their trains are at least three securities roaming inside the train. And in every stop, the security people exchange their posts. Plus before a person can enter the waiting area, securities at the gate checked the belongings of every passenger like that at the airport.
Wouldn’t that mean that it’s because it is not safe if you need that much of a show of force?
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