The knife-wielding maniac who injured five people in a random rampage at Penn Station had "rage in his eyes," one of the victims recalled Monday — saying the horrifying encounter unfolded so quickly, he didn't even realize he had been slashed.
Henry Obadiah, 60, an accountant from Long Branch, New Jersey, was heading home Sunday evening when he noticed two people tussling near the station. Before he could react, the alleged attacker locked his eyes on him and attacked.
"He went at me to kill me! I saw the rage in his eyes," Obadiah told the New York Post of the chilling encounter that left him with a gash across his face.
Background
The attack occurred around 7 p.m. Sunday when the suspect, identified by law enforcement sources as Hector Deleon, 51, allegedly went on a frenzied slashing spree through Penn Station, one of Manhattan's busiest transit hubs. The rampage left five people either slashed or stabbed in what authorities describe as a random attack.
Obadiah said he was making his way toward the station after returning from Long Branch when chaos erupted around him.
"The crazy guy locked his eyes on me and just roundhoused me! Clocked me right in the face," Obadiah recalled. "And I heard the guy on the escalator say, 'He's got a knife! He's got a knife!'
The Investigation
According to law enforcement sources, Deleon was taken to a hospital Monday where he remained under guard. Authorities had not yet filed formal charges as of early this week.
Obadiah told police he could identify his attacker and walked with officers along what he described as "a huge trail of blood" leading to the New Jersey Transit boarding area.
There, he encountered another victim — a man in his 20s — seated on the floor with a bloody towel pressed against a gushing head wound as strangers attempted to help him.
"The paramedics showed up shortly thereafter. While they were telling me that they should take me to the hospital, all these cops started running past and screaming, 'He stabbed someone else! He stabbed someone else!'" Obadiah said.
Obadiah was treated for his facial wound at a local hospital before being released.
Key Takeaways
- Hector Deleon, 51, allegedly attacked five people with a knife at Penn Station around 7 p.m. Sunday
- Victim Henry Obadiah, 60, was slashed across the face but initially thought he had only been punched
- Four other victims were also injured in what authorities describe as a random attack
- Deleon was hospitalized Monday and had not yet been charged
- Police identified Obadiah as a key witness who could help identify his attacker
What's Next
Authorities are expected to pursue charges against Deleon once he is medically cleared. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from Penn Station to piece together the timeline of the attack. The NYPD and transit authorities continue their investigation into what prompted the rampage.
Obadiah expressed frustration with the state of public safety in New York City, calling for stronger measures to protect commuters.