Hector Deleon, 51, allegedly slashed five people with a double-edged knife Sunday evening at Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan, authorities said — even though he had avoided significant prison time for an eerily similar attack just four years earlier in New Jersey.
Background
Court records reveal that Deleon was convicted of aggravated assault stemming from a February 8, 2022 stabbing along Frelinghuysen Avenue in Newark. According to a criminal complaint from that case, Deleon became enraged after being told he was not allowed on the property because he had been stealing things.
"The actor (Deleon) then became (enraged) and pulled out a 6 inch knife with a black/gray handle," the complaint states, "stabbing the victim once on the left side of his neck."
That victim required nine stitches to close the wound and spent time in a trauma ward, records show. Deleon was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
He pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and received two years of probation with conditions including 100 hours of community service and continued mental health treatment. He does not appear to have served any significant time behind bars before Sunday's alleged rampage.
Court records and law-enforcement sources indicate Deleon’s criminal history includes several arrests for assault, including one just last month in New Jersey. Details about that recent arrest were not immediately available.
The Investigation
Amtrak police apprehended Deleon following the Sunday evening attack at Penn Station, one of the city's busiest commuter hubs. He was hospitalized under heavy sedation and had not yet been officially charged by Monday afternoon, sources said.
Investigators believe Deleon used a "boot dagger" — a double-sided blade approximately six inches in length — during what witnesses described as a deranged, drugged-up attack. The weapon recovered from the Penn Station incident appears similar to the knife used in the 2022 Newark attack, according to sources.
The stabbing spree left five people bloodied, with one seriously injured, FDNY officials said. Among the victims was Henry Obadiah, 60, an accountant from Long Branch, New Jersey, who told reporters that Deleon had "rage in his eyes" as he struck.
"I didn't realize I had just been slashed in the face," Obadiah recalled.
The NYPD is working with Amtrak police on the investigation. Authorities continue to piece together the sequence of events and have not yet confirmed whether the victims were targeted or attacked at random.
Key Takeaways
- Hector Deleon, 51, allegedly attacked five people with a double-edged knife at Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan
- He was apprehended by Amtrak police and remains hospitalized under heavy sedation
- In 2022, Deleon stabbed a man in the neck in Newark, New Jersey, receiving only two years of probation
- His criminal record includes multiple assault arrests, including one just last month in New Jersey
- The weapon used Sunday appears similar to the knife from his prior attack
What's Next
Deleon is expected to face charges once he is released from medical care. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and collecting witness statements to establish the full timeline of Sunday's attack. Prosecutors will likely seek to highlight his prior conviction in any future proceedings.