Bragg Indicts Subway Stabber; East Village Elder Assault

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. recently indicted of allegedy subway stabber Dariel Castillo, 28, of Manhattan for allegedly threatening a 25-year-old woman with a knife and stabbing a 51-year-old man in separate incidents at the Broadway-Lafayette station in January 2026.

Castillo is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with one count each of Assault in the Second Degree, Robbery in the Third Degree and Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, among other charges.

“As alleged, Dariel Castillo committed two separate acts of violence against strangers just minutes apart, including a brutal stabbing,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Unprovoked, he allegedly repeatedly stabbed a man who simply attempted to enter a subway station. We take attacks in our transit system very seriously and our office will hold those accountable who undermine its safety.”

As alleged in court documents and statements made on the record in court, on January 28, 2026, at approximately 4:50 a.m., Castillo boarded a northbound F train at the Broadway-Lafayette station. As the train remained in the station, he approached a 25-year-old woman, who was sitting onboard the train, and allegedly grabbed her cellphone out of her hands. As the woman attempted to retrieve her cellphone, Castillo allegedly brandished a knife and threatened to stab her. Eventually, the woman was able to recover her cellphone before Castillo exited the train and fled in the station.

At approximately 5:20 a.m., a 51-year-old man entered the same station. Castillo approached him and began yelling at him to exit the station. As the man began walking up the stairs to leave, Castillo allegedly followed him and used a knife to stab him several times in the back. As the man sought help, Castillo fled back into the station. The man was eventually transported to the hospital to receive treatment for multiple stab wounds.

Castillo was arrested on February 4, 2026. Castillo was released on bail from Rikers Island on February 13, 2026.

Department of Correction records describe Castillo as 6’ tall, 170 pounds, Black male.

Castillo had one other recent run in with the law. On January 21, 2026, he received an NYPD summons “violate/fail to comply with fire commissioner.”

East Village Elder Assalult

Cops are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the individual wanted in connection with an elderly assault that occurred within the confines of the 9th Precinct.

It was reported to police that on Monday, February 16, 2026, at approximately 10 p.m. hours, an unidentified individual was making a purchase inside Sunny and Annie’s Deli at 94 Avenue B, when he became irate, and began disputing with a 68-year-old male employee. The individual then grabbed a gallon of water and struck the victim in the face causing pain, redness, and swelling. The individual then exited the establishment and fled on foot, traveling northbound on Avenue B to parts unknown. The victim refused medical attention at the scene.

The sought individual is described as a male. He was last seen wearing a blue hat, black jacket, black sweatpants, black and white sneakers, and pink headphones.