Subway driver charged with attempted murder after stabbing an MTA operator in Brooklyn, police say

A subway operator was critically injured Tuesday morning after he was stabbed multiple times by a passenger who refused to get off at the end of the 4 line in Crown Heights, police said.

The MTA and police officials said the suspect, who is being charged with attempted murder, has a history of preying on people on public transit.

MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said the victim, 31-year MTA veteran Myran Pollack, 60, asked the passenger to get off the train just before 11 a.m. at the Utica Avenue station, according to Lieber and officials him onto the platform and stabbed him several times in the upper body, stomach and thigh.

Pollack was taken to Kings County Hospital and remains in critical condition, hospital officials said.

The attack follows the MTA’s implementation of rules in 2020 that require riders to leave subway terminus stations when a train is taken out of service at a terminal.

While overall crime in the transit system is down compared to last year and before the pandemic, officials said a growing number of crimes are being committed by repeat offenders.

“This is an individual who is using the transportation system to take advantage of our customers and our employees,” Kathryn Falasca, the MTA’s criminal attorney, said at a news conference. “It is unacceptable and tragic that he is allowed to continue to drive on our systems.”

Falasca said the 27-year-old suspect, whose name was not released, was previously convicted of slashing an MTA employee and a driver in two separate incidents. He has been arrested 14 times, officials said.

MTA Chief Security Officer Michael Kemper said NYPD officers were on scene when the attack occurred. They intervened by pulling the attacker away from Pollack and taking him into custody, police said.

Lieber also noted that Pollack is married and has served as a mentor to many of his colleagues during his three decades at the MTA.

This story has been updated with additional information from the NYPD.