A random stabbing attack injured five people at New York's Penn Station on Sunday evening, June 8, 2026, triggering immediate security concerns just one day before the city hosts the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals.
The incident occurred shortly after 7 p. m.
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on the NJ Transit concourse inside the busy transit hub, which sits directly beneath Madison Square Garden where the New York Knicks will face the San Antonio Spurs.
According to the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), emergency responders transported five victims to Bellevue Hospital, where all are expected to survive.
One victim sustained serious injuries, two suffered moderate injuries, and two others experienced minor injuries following the attack, according to statements provided by the FDNY to US media.
Amtrak police and the New York Police Department apprehended the suspect on the scene, described by law enforcement officials as an unhoused and emotionally disturbed individual who frequently visits the station.
Investigators subsequently recovered a knife on the NJ Transit side of Penn Station that authorities believe was utilized during the violent assault.
Witnesses near the scene recounted the chaotic moments during the altercation and the subsequent response from local law enforcement officials.
“They had to get other cops in order to grab him,” said one witness to CNN affiliate WCBS.
Onlookers noted that responding officers deployed pepper spray and tackled the individual to the ground before escorting him away in a wheelchair.
“He was just screaming, waving his head around,” another witness told WCBS.
The violence erupted as federal and local authorities were already implementing heightened security measures for Game 3 on Monday due to the expected attendance of US President Donald Trump.
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Officials had previously announced a no-bag policy and canceled an outdoor watch party at the arena because of the presidential visit.
A commuter who was nearby with her father detailed the panic that spread outside the arena entrance immediately after the assault took place.
“We feel scared … because today my dad came to drop me off from my job to the train station, but who knows, it could happen again,” Subul Sadaq told Spectrum News NY1.
The sudden violence deeply shook transit workers inside the facility, which serves as a major connecting point for Amtrak, subway lines, and regional passenger rail systems.
“I'm working here. And so not only me, my coworkers too, my supervisor.
So when something like this happens, we're terrified. It's about our own safety as well,” an anonymous Penn Station employee told WABC.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed that train services remained unaffected and commended the rapid response of the emergency medical teams and transit officers.
“My heart is with everyone who was injured, their loved ones, and all those shaken by this unacceptable violence.
I’m wishing each of the victims a full and speedy recovery,” Mamdani said in an official statement.
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The mayor added that his administration is maintaining close contact with investigators as the Amtrak Police Department continues to spearhead the ongoing investigation.
