A Bronx man on Monday was sentenced to 15 years in prison following his guilty plea to attempted murder for stabbing an Metropolitan Transportation Authority subway conductor 11 times inside a Brooklyn subway station.
The defendant was identified as Jonathan Davalos, 28, by Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
On Oct. 8, 2024, the victim, a 59-year-old subway operator, was attempting to clear the subway at the last stop on the 4 train when he encountered the defendant at approximately 10:40am aboard the subway car at the Crown Heights-Utica Avenue station in Brooklyn. The operator asked Davalos to exit the subway, but he refused. The defendant then pulled a kitchen knife from his jacket pocket and lunged at the victim with the knife, according to Gonzalez.
The victim then ran away from the Davalos, who chased the victim down the platform. The victim tripped and fell onto the platform and Davalos straddled him before stabbing him about the body.
A witness alerted police officers at the station, who responded immediately. The defendant then stood up, dropped the knife, and was placed under arrest.
The victim, who was stabbed 11 times, was taken to Kings County Hospital in serious condition and survived his injuries.
“This defendant nearly killed an innocent man working to keep New York City running," Gonzalez said in a statement. "Today’s significant sentence holds him accountable for this vicious attack on a hardworking train conductor. As subway crime continues to trend downward, my office will remain relentless in protecting both transit workers and riders in Brooklyn and ensuring that those who commit violence in the system are held accountable.”
