A Queens man was arrested over the weekend and has been accused of committing two unprovoked stabbing attacks in the span of 24 hours. The suspected NYC subway slasher brandished a knife at NYPD officers just hours before the attacks. Despite having 14 prior arrests, he was released after just one night, at which point he carried out the random attacks.
Donny Ubiera, 32, reportedly stabbed two NYC commuters in separate incidents on Friday and Saturday.
The Queens man is accused of first stabbing a 62-year-old man onboard a southbound 7 train around 8:30 a.m. Friday, according to NBC 4 New York. Police said the victim was slashed in the face and hand, requiring several stitches at the hospital.
Ubiera allegedly fled the Queensboro Plaza station and was captured on surveillance footage. Police later released an image of the suspect, who was wearing a black and gold button shirt with black shorts.
In the second attack, which occurred the following morning around 7:15 a.m., a commuter was stabbed in the neck with a large knife. The victim, who was attacked on a subway platform, was rushed to an area hospital. The victim’s condition has been listed as “critical.”
Police later arrested Ubiera late Saturday night near Flushing. The 32-year-old will be facing charges of attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon.
Donny Ubiera has been arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder. Police say he stabbed a 55-year-old and slashed a 62-year-old within two days on Queens '7' train
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According to a report from the New York Post, Ubiera had just gotten out of jail on Thursday night. He was released after one night of “time served” after being booked following a confrontation with NYPD officers.
The 32-year-old reportedly brandished a large knife and refused to put it down after officers responded to reports of a man armed with a knife. He then fled the scene but was apprehended and charged with criminal possession of a weapon and a controlled substance, as well as reckless endangerment.
The accused subway slasher had been arrested 14 times prior to the confrontation with police. Despite this, he was back on the streets by Friday morning, according to the New York Post.
“This is nothing if not predictable,’’ NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said in a statement on Sunday.
“His record demonstrates that each time he is involved in unprovoked violence against innocent victims, the criminal justice system has him back to the streets and the subways rather than jail or psychiatric treatment. He inevitably targets another victim.”
The bulk of Ubiera’s prior arrests involved violent threats. He had threatened people with a knife on numerous occasions, including an incident from this past January. The suspected subway slasher was booked after brandishing a knife and threatening a bodega worker after shoplifting beer.
In December, he was arrested for two separate attacks on shop employees over the course of 24 hours.