SPRINGFIELD GARDENS, Queens (WABC) — The suspect in a Queens stabbing spree has been charged with attempted murder.
Jermain Rigueur is expected to make an appearance in court on Thursday after several people were attacked with a knife on Wednesday.
Rigueur was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Springfield Gardens, just blocks away from where a handful of attacks took place. When detectives searched the suspect’s home, they found the hunting knife he allegedly used during the stabbings.
Police say the 27-year-old is connected to several stabbings on or near subways and an MTA bus. He may also be linked to another stabbing in Brooklyn, authorities said.
The first two stabbings were back-to-back attacks at 7:30 a.m. and 7:35 a.m. at 134th Avenue and 161st Street.
A 74-year-old man was stabbed in the lower abdomen while escorting his wife to work. The suspect then ran to 161st Street where he stabbed a 41-year-old man in the back while he was leaving his residence to move his car. Both victims were taken to Jamaica Hospital and are expected to survive.
The third attack happened about 25 minutes later at Parsons Boulevard and Archer Avenue.
The 36-year-old victim was on his way to work when he boarded an MTA bus and sat next to the suspect. The victim and suspect then got into a verbal dispute over a seat. Police say they both exited the bus at Parsons Boulevard and Archer Avenue, where the suspect stabbed the victim once and fled on foot.
The suspect was described as a man wearing a black jacket with a green hoodie, black pants, black Adidas sneakers with white stripes and a grey winter mask.
Police passed out flyers with a terrifying photo of the man carrying a knife.
They also released video of the man nervously pacing on a street in Springfield Gardens.
Authorities believe Rigueur could also be responsible for stabbing a 34-year-old woman who was walking home from work just after midnight on Tuesday near 158th Street & 134th Avenue.
The woman was taken to the hospital and was said to be stable.
Police are linking the suspect to a fifth incident on Jan. 8 where a 61-year-old man was stabbed in the lower back at the intersection of 157th Street and 137th Avenue.
The man was taken to the hospital and was said to be stable.
NYPD flooded officers into the subway system on Wednesday following the attacks.
Darla Miles had details on their search and what passengers thought about the heightened police presence.
Darla Miles Miles reports, followed by an NYPD briefing.
Authorities are still working to determine if Rigueur is also the suspect in a recent stabbing in Brooklyn, as he may match the suspect description.
A 28-year-old man was riding a northbound J subway train when a man walked up to him and stabbed him in the abdomen in an unprovoked attack around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday.
The suspect got off the subway system at Flushing Avenue station and the victim got off at the Myrtle Avenue station. The victim’s injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
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