This NY Times article reports on the random stabbing attack of 21-year old Houstonian, Christopher McCarthy, on a New York City subway at 110th Street and Central Park West yesterday afternoon. McCarthy, who was on a two-week vacation in New York City with his girlfriend, is in critical condition after undergoing surgery for multiple stab wounds to his chest. The attacker walked away after stabbing McCarthy and has not been apprehended.
Although always unsettling, subway violence in New York City is actually far less frequent now than in earlier eras. When Utah tennis pro Brian Watkins was murdered 16 years ago by a gang that attacked Watkins and his family on a NYC subway as they were on their way to dinner, Watkins was one of more than 2,000 people murdered in New York City that year. Last year, less than 600 murders occurred in New York City, the fewest in over 40 years.
Update: Looks as if NYPD has caught the likely attacker.