BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) – A homeless man is accused of killing a Brooklyn father, slashing his throat, during a dispute on a subway train, police said.
Alvin Charles, 43, was arrested Wednesday and charged with murder in connection with the death of 43-year-old Brooklyn resident Tommy Bailey, according to the NYPD. Charles allegedly slashed Bailey in the neck during a dispute on a southbound L train at the Atlantic Avenue subway station on Sept. 30, police said. Bailey died from the slash wound.
Bailey, a Canarsie resident, was a father of two children and worked as a steamfitter, according to friend Omari Barnett. He was recently helping in the construction of new terminals at LaGuardia Airport, Barnett said.
“Good quiet guy. I never knew about him having any altercations before, so it’s shocking to me,” Barnett said.
Bailey’s death is the sixth homicide within the New York City subway system this year, according to the NYPD. Transit crime is up nearly 42% this year compared to last year, with more than 1,700 violent subway incidents in 2022, police officials said.
On Tuesday, the NYPD arrested a man who allegedly randomly shoved a 25-year-old man onto the subway tracks at the 14th Street-Union Square subway station Monday night. The victim survived the fall but split his forehead open on the tracks.
The transit advocacy group Passengers United is calling for police patrols on every subway train after 9 p.m.
“You need more police. You need them riding the subway cars, eyeballing people and talking to people and just keeping an eye on the criminals,” said Charlton D’souza with Passengers United.
PIX11’s Anthony DiLorenzo contributed to this report.
