A Brooklyn man on Monday was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a violent incident in which he pulled a kitchen knife on a subway train and stabbed a stranger in the back.
The defendant, Sadam Adames, 33, of Brownsville, was convicted of first-degree attempted assault on September 18, 2024, following a jury trial, according to a press release.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez expressed relief that the victim escaped without life-threatening injuries.
“This was a senseless and frightening act of violence against someone who asked for basic courtesy on the subway. We are relieved the victim escaped more serious harm, but no one should have to experience such violence during their daily commute," he said.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, the incident occurred on Sept.13, 2022, at approximately 12:40pm. Adames boarded a number 2 train at Winthrop Street, where he began yelling profanities into his phone, alarming fellow passengers.
When a 49-year-old man asked him to lower his voice, Adames approached him, pulled a kitchen knife from his bag, and attempted to stab him in the stomach.
The victim managed to grab Adames' hand during the struggle, but Adames succeeded in stabbing him in the back before throwing him onto the seats. As the victim fell to the floor, Adames kicked him multiple times in the face. The train arrived at Bergen Street station shortly after the attack, and Adames exited the train.
Paramedics treated the victim at the scene before transporting him to Methodist Hospital, where he received three stitches to his back and treatment for facial bruising and lip lacerations. A witness to the attack recorded the incident on his cell phone and later identified Adames, leading to his arrest the following day after his photo was released to the media.
