An employee of a hospital in New York City has been arrested and accused of stabbing six people in a series of unprovoked attacks that instilled “real fears throughout” the city, according to authorities on Thursday. All victims survived the attacks.
Jermain Rigueur, born in 1996 with no prior criminal record, is facing charges of attempted murder, felony assault, and criminal possession of a weapon, as stated by the police.
The suspect, employed at Woodhull Medical Center in Brooklyn, had successfully passed a background check and exhibited no previous indications of mental health issues, police said. In one security video clip, Rigueur’s work lanyard was visible.
NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban expressed gratitude to detectives and community witnesses for their role in bringing the stabbing spree to an apparent end. He highlighted the importance of basic detective work, including following leads, knocking on doors, and engaging with the community.
Mayor Eric Adams remarked that the arrest likely prevented more attacks, stating, “He attacked six individuals and didn’t appear as though he was looking to stop anytime soon. And thank god we have no one who lost his or her life because of this incident. But it did send real fears throughout our entire city so it was crucial that we have apprehended him and brought him to justice.”
🚨WANTED for ASSAULT: Do you know him? On 1/16/24 at 12:08 AM near 158 St & 134 Ave in Queens, a female victim was approached from behind by an unidentified male suspect who proceeded to stab her in her torso.
If you have any information:
✉️DM @NYPDTips
📞Call 800-577-TIPS/8477 pic.twitter.com/RspCCBKQdG— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) January 17, 2024
Over a period of nine days, five people were stabbed with a hunting knife in separate incidents in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, with three of the attacks occurring within about 30 minutes on a single day, according to police reports on Wednesday.
