A man with a history of mental illness and 87 prior arrests is wanted in connection with two recent subway stabbings in New York City. Authorities have identified the suspect as 52-year-old Jamar Banks, cautioning officers to approach him with “extreme caution” as he is believed to be armed with a large knife. Banks is reportedly a frequent rider of the No. 2 and No. 5 subway lines, according to the NYPD.
The suspect is being sought for two incidents that occurred earlier this week. On January 1, he allegedly approached a 31-year-old man from behind on a No. 2 train at 14th Street and Seventh Avenue, initiating an argument before stabbing the victim in the back and fleeing the scene. The following day, January 2, Banks is suspected of stabbing an off-duty MTA cleaner on a northbound No. 6 train platform at the Pelham Bay station in the Bronx. The victim suffered wounds to his back and armpit but remains in stable condition.
Banks has an extensive criminal history, including charges of attempted murder, assault, weapons possession, and other offenses. Surveillance footage allegedly shows Banks holding a knife in gloved hands during one of the attacks.
This isn’t Banks’ first alleged subway-related crime. In October 2022, he was accused of stabbing a man in the leg on a Manhattan No. 2 train. Previous incidents in his criminal record date back to the 1990s, including a 1997 charge of attempted murder when Banks allegedly shot a man in the leg following a minor bump on the street.
Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant. Anyone with information about Jamar Banks’ whereabouts is encouraged to contact the NYPD.
