A 25-year-old man, Jyrell Thomas, was arrested and charged with murder following a fatal stabbing incident on a subway train in Queens on Wednesday. The incident occurred around 5:20 p.m. on a southbound J train approaching Woodhaven Boulevard, where Thomas allegedly stabbed 59-year-old Mesias Lojano three times in the torso and once in the neck without provocation, according to police reports. Lojano was transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.
Lojano's son, William, expressed his grief, stating, "My father was always a man of faith and he was taken away from us. He was a good friend to everyone. He helped everyone." William mentioned that his father was returning home from his construction job at the time of the attack.
Video footage shared on social media shows panicked passengers fleeing the train as Thomas attacked Lojano, who attempted to defend himself. After the assault, Thomas fled the scene but was later apprehended by police after climbing onto a garage roof. In addition to murder charges, he faces charges for criminal possession of a weapon. Thomas was previously arrested in September for theft-related offenses.
Neighbors described Lojano as a beloved figure in the community, with one neighbor stating, "I was shocked. For me, it’s sad so you can imagine how hard it is on his family. It’s a tough situation for them to go through. It’s a big loss." Another neighbor expressed concerns about subway safety, saying, "I do not trust the subway at all. … It’s unsafe, plain and simple."