In September of this year, 27-year-old Chinese man Raymond Kwok, also known as 郭雷蒙 (Raymond Kwok in English), stabbed a passenger inside the East Village subway station in Manhattan, New York City. He was charged by the Manhattan prosecutors with one count of second-degree assault and two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr. stated that Kwok was accused of a “brutal” attack on a subway passenger. Bragg emphasized that “New Yorkers who rely on public transportation should be safe, and violent acts in the subway, especially with dangerous weapons, will not be tolerated.”
According to court documents, on the evening of September 20, 2024, around 8:43 PM, Kwok bumped into the victim while walking in the First Avenue station of the L train in the subway, leading to a confrontation. A few minutes later, as the victim continued walking, Kwok stabbed the victim in the back with a sharp weapon, causing a deep laceration and bleeding.
Kwok fled the scene immediately but returned to the same subway station three days later, where he was apprehended by the police. Upon his capture, Kwok was found in possession of three knives, leading the authorities to charge him with assault and illegal possession of a weapon, two serious offenses.
Initially, Manhattan prosecutors proposed setting Kwok’s bail at $25,000, but Criminal Court Judge Michael Gaffey decided to deny Kwok bail altogether, keeping him in custody.