Police said the attack happened on a Manhattan-bound No. 6 train near Whitlock Avenue station late Tuesday night.
NEW YORK, N.Y. — A 15-year-old boy was stabbed aboard a Bronx subway train Tuesday night after several people tried to rob him and another teenager while the train approached the Whitlock Avenue station, police said.
Investigators said the attack happened shortly after 10 p.m. inside a Manhattan-bound No. 6 train in the Longwood section of the Bronx. Police said a group confronted the 15-year-old and an 18-year-old passenger and demanded their belongings. During the struggle, one of the suspects stabbed the younger teen in the stomach before the group ran from the train. The boy was taken to Jacobi Medical Center and was listed in stable condition Wednesday.
Police said the confrontation began after the teenagers boarded the train near Hunts Point Avenue. According to investigators, the group surrounded the two victims and attempted to take their property. Authorities said the older teen briefly lost possession of a bag during the encounter but managed to recover it before the suspects fled. Officers responding to the Whitlock Avenue station found the younger victim bleeding from a wound to the torso. EMS crews transported him to the hospital while detectives secured the platform and train car for evidence collection. Officials said the suspects escaped before officers arrived. Surveillance cameras from the station and inside the subway system are being reviewed as investigators attempt to identify the group.
Witnesses told police the suspects quickly exited the train once it stopped at Whitlock Avenue. Investigators said at least one suspect was wearing a ski mask during the attack. Authorities have not released descriptions of the other individuals involved, and no arrests had been announced by Wednesday afternoon. The 18-year-old victim was not physically injured, police said, though detectives continue interviewing him about the sequence of events leading up to the stabbing. Transit officers canvassed nearby streets and station exits overnight searching for additional video footage and witnesses. Police have not said whether the suspects and victims knew each other before the encounter. Detectives are also working to determine whether the attack was connected to any recent robberies or youth violence incidents in the area.
The stabbing comes as transit crime and youth-related violence continue drawing attention across New York City. In recent months, several incidents involving teenage victims have taken place near subway stations and aboard trains in the Bronx and other boroughs. Longwood, a busy South Bronx neighborhood served by multiple subway and bus lines, has seen repeated police responses tied to robberies and assaults near transit hubs. Transit riders Wednesday described concern about violent confrontations happening late at night on crowded trains and platforms. The Whitlock Avenue station remained open during the investigation, though officers were visible around entrances and platforms through the morning commute. Police officials have recently announced plans to increase patrol coverage in parts of the Bronx as the department restructures borough operations and adds additional officers to transit-related assignments.
The investigation remains ongoing as detectives search for the suspects involved in the robbery attempt and stabbing. Police said evidence from station surveillance systems and train cameras is expected to play a central role in identifying the attackers. Investigators are also reviewing MetroCard and OMNY transit records connected to riders who entered or exited stations near the time of the incident. No charges had been filed as of Wednesday evening. Officials said anyone with information about the attack can contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers tip line. Detectives from the department’s Transit Bureau and Bronx robbery squads are coordinating the investigation. Authorities have not indicated whether additional security measures will be added specifically at the Whitlock Avenue station following the attack.
Passengers arriving at the station Wednesday morning said the stabbing added to growing fears about overnight subway travel. Some riders described seeing police tape and officers moving through the station hours after the attack occurred. “You hear about these things happening, but it feels different when it happens right here,” one commuter said while waiting for a southbound train. Others said they were relieved the teenager survived the stabbing. Nearby businesses opened as usual Wednesday, though several residents paused to watch investigators gather information outside the station entrance. Transit workers continued directing passengers while detectives photographed parts of the platform and questioned possible witnesses. By late afternoon, regular train service had resumed without visible delays tied to the investigation.
The 15-year-old victim remained hospitalized in stable condition Wednesday night as police continued searching for the suspects. Investigators said additional surveillance images may be released if the group is not identified in the coming days.
Author note: Last updated May 20, 2026.