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NEW YORK CITY — A routine Manhattan morning commute turned violent Wednesday when a dispute over a stepped-on shoe escalated into a double stabbing aboard a crowded No. 5 train at Grand Central Terminal.
The suspect, 30-year-old Gavin Ferguson of the Bronx, allegedly pulled a knife during a rush-hour altercation, stabbing two men — one reportedly uninvolved in the initial confrontation — before fleeing the scene.
According to prosecutors, the violence began when a fellow commuter accidentally stepped on Ferguson’s shoe, prompting what they described as an “unprovoked” attack. Surveillance footage cited in court documents shows Ferguson punching a 28-year-old man who had stepped aside to let him off the train. Moments later, Ferguson allegedly pulled a pink-and-purple-handled knife and stabbed the man in the stomach.
A second commuter, 32, who intervened to help the first victim, was also stabbed — in both the abdomen and buttocks — as he tried to escape, even leaping onto a bench in a desperate effort to avoid the knife.
Both victims were hospitalized at Bellevue Hospital and are in stable condition.
Police tracked Ferguson to his workplace hours later. Although he had changed clothes, he left his phone on the train — and when he called it in hopes of retrieving it, investigators were able to trace the call and arrest him. He was reportedly still carrying the knife.
Ferguson was arraigned on charges of attempted murder, assault, and attempted assault. Prosecutors requested he be held without bail, citing the severity of the incident. Judge Louis L. Nock instead set bail at $500,000 cash or $750,000 bond.
Defense attorney Paul D’Emilia contested the prosecution’s account, claiming Ferguson was harassed and spit on before defending himself. “We are confident that when the details are fully reviewed, Mr. Ferguson will be exonerated,” D’Emilia told The New York Post.
Ferguson, a first-time offender and full-time plumber, could face 5 to 25 years in prison if convicted. The investigation remains ongoing.
