Last Updated on June 16, 2023
Queens, NY man Jordan Williams has been charged with manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon after stabbing dead an ex-con on the New York City subway in what Williams says was a case of self-defense, protecting not just his own life and safety, but the life and safety of his girlfriend and other passengers, who the ex-con had attacked and harassed.
20-year-old Jordan Williams was riding on the New York City subway in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn on Tuesday night when an ex-con subway marauder who’d been harassing other passengers stepped to Williams and his girlfriend, eventually punching his girlfriend in the face.
That caused a fight to break out between the two men, as Williams defended himself, his girlfriend, and other subway riders. At some point, the ex-con subway marauder, 36-year-old Devictor Ouedraogo, put Williams in a headlock before Williams pulled a knife from his pocket and stabbed Ouedraogo twice. The headlock left Williams with choke marks on his neck, which have been documented in photographs that show the altercation became a life-or-death struggle for the young man.
Though Ouedraogo made it off the train and responding rescue squad members rushed him to the hospital, he was quickly pronounced dead.
Williams has been arrested and charged with manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon. He’s been released without bail and is fighting the case with an attorney and a self-defense plea.
The case has quickly drawn comparisons to the subway death of another marauder, Jordan Neely, who died after an altercation with Marine Corps veteran Daniel Penny after career criminal Neely, who once tried to kidnap a little girl, threatened the lives of Penny and other subway riders.
In both cases, which would be considered clear-cut self-defense in other American jurisdictions, manslaughter charges have been filed against the men Americans are calling Subway Samaritans.
Related: New York City Grand Jury Indicts Subway Samaritan Daniel Penny
Also like in the case of Daniel Penny, a GiveSendGo account has been set up to raise money for Jordan Williams’ defense.
The page, which was created by April Williams, Jordan’s mother, asks prospective donors to “help us to support my baby” with a fundraising goal of $100,000. The page has already eclipsed $68,000 worth of donations, and as awareness of the case grows, that number can be expected to increase.
Donate to the defense of Jordan Williams HERE
