Cops have cuffed the man wanted for stabbing subway riders in the Bronx and Manhattan on Jan. 17, authorities said.
According to police sources, the NYPD arrested 27-year-old Mark Ford of East Elmhurst on Thursday for randomly stabbing commuters in two different boroughs over the course of Wednesday.
The first incident took place at around 6 a.m. onboard a southbound D train at 59th Street Columbus Circle. Ford allegedly approached a 42-year-old rider and stabbed him in the right shoulder. The victim was rushed to NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull in stable condition.
Less than two hours later aboard a Bronx 2 train, police say Ford stabbed a 19-year-old man in the left arm inside a subway car near East 174th Street. The victim suffered minor injuries.
Both attacks were reportedly unprovoked.
“Quickly after both these incidents occurred, we realized that they were linked,” Chief of Transit Michael Kemper said. “A large deployment plan was created.”
Kemper reported that a large number of officers were posted to search for Ford. Cops nabbed him about 24 hours later, at 7:20 a.m. on Jan. 18, inside of the Bedford Park Station.
Ford initially tried to flee, and cops had to give chase in order to cuff him.
“They chased this male through this station, successfully apprehending him,” Kemper said. “He was wearing the same clothing [as he was allegedly wearing when the stabbings took place], and it should be noted that he was in possession of two knives when these officers chased him and apprehended.”
Ford apparently has a lengthy rap sheet, with five incidents having taken place in the last year. These offenses range from sex crimes to assaults, Kemper reported.
As detectives were transferring Ford from the stationhouse at Bronx’s Transit District 12 on Morris Park Avenue, reporters asked the alleged stabber what prompted him to do it.
“I’m not speaking,” Ford said as he was led away in cuffs.
Ford is charged with multiple accounts of assault, criminal possession of a weapon, and disorderly conduct.
