For millions of Americans, public transit is supposed to be a predictable part of daily life. You board a train, ride to work, run errands, and head home. But a series of recent attacks in Atlanta, New York City, and Charlotte has once again raised concerns about safety on mass transit systems and reignited debate over how the criminal justice system handles repeat offenders.
The three cases are separated by hundreds of miles, but they share a common thread: each suspect had a significant criminal history before allegedly carrying out a violent attack on public transportation.
The first case unfolded in Atlanta on June 5, when authorities say 42-year-old Anthony Tyrone Gresham opened fire at MARTA’s Midtown Station.
According to investigators, Gresham approached a train car where a 17-year-old passenger was sitting, pulled a handgun from a bag, and fired three shots. The teenager was struck in the hand and leg before being transported to a hospital for treatment.
Authorities say Gresham fled the scene immediately after the shooting, triggering a multi-agency manhunt that ended two days later when he was arrested in Douglasville.
Federal prosecutors have charged Gresham with committing an act of violence on a mass transportation system, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
The shooting came during an already tense period for Atlanta’s transit system. Just days earlier, another violent attack on MARTA resulted in the death of 66-year-old great-grandmother Margaret Swan.
In that case, prosecutors charged 25-year-old John Elijah Matthews with committing an act of violence using a dangerous weapon on a mass transportation system. Matthews also faces local felony murder charges.
Hundreds of miles north, another disturbing incident rattled commuters at one of the busiest transit hubs in the country.
On June 7, authorities identified 51-year-old Hector Deleon as the suspect in a stabbing spree inside Penn Station’s New Jersey Transit concourse in Manhattan.
The attack occurred shortly after 7 p.m. and left five people injured, including one victim who suffered serious wounds. Witnesses described chaos as commuters scrambled to get away from the violence.
Investigators say Deleon had at least seven prior arrests before the attack, including a 2022 case in which he was accused of slashing a man in the neck. That case resulted in probation and mental health treatment requirements.
One of the victims, Henry Obadiah, later described the terrifying encounter.
“I’m heading toward the exit to 7th Avenue,” Obadiah recalled. “I see these two guys kind of scuffling a little bit. I didn’t think anything of it.”
Then he noticed the suspect staring directly at him.
“I locked eyes with this crazy madman, and he just looked at me, and he had this rage in his eyes, and he went whack.”
Obadiah said he initially wanted to fight back before another commuter warned him that the attacker was armed with a knife.
The third case occurred in Charlotte, North Carolina, where prosecutors allege 35-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr. fatally stabbed 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska aboard the Lynx Blue Line in August 2025.
According to federal authorities, Zarutska was seated in front of Brown when he allegedly attacked her from behind with a knife.
The case drew national attention not only because of the brutality of the attack but also because of Brown’s extensive criminal history, which included prior assaults and robberies. Brown had also been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
This week, a federal judge determined Brown is currently incompetent to stand trial following a psychiatric evaluation. The ruling mirrors an earlier state court finding that also concluded Brown was not competent to face prosecution.
Federal prosecutors emphasized that Brown will remain in custody while undergoing treatment intended to restore competency.
“Let me be clear, he will be in custody that whole time,” U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson said after the hearing. “Mr. Brown is in federal custody now and will remain in federal custody until trial.”
Ferguson said the primary focus remains securing justice for Zarutska and her family.
Together, the three cases have fueled renewed public debate about transit safety, repeat offenders, mental health treatment, and criminal justice policies.
