Penn Station attacker inflicted brain injury on victim, according to prosecutors.
On June 7, 2026, a violent incident at Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan left five individuals injured, with one victim suffering a severe brain injury as a result of the attack. The assailant, 51-year-old Hector Deleon, allegedly went on a slashing spree in the busy transit hub, which is frequently bustling with commuters.
During Deleon’s arraignment at Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday, prosecutors detailed the harrowing nature of the attack. One of the victims, whose temporal lobe was punctured, now faces a traumatic brain injury, while another suffered a cerebral hemorrhage following the encounter. The attack resulted in two victims being slashed in the neck, with one of them, a 52-year-old man from Howell, New Jersey, revealing significant difficulty swallowing due to the injury. The remaining victims sustained facial lacerations.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg described the attack as “terrifying,” highlighting the fear it instilled in the community at such a busy time. Video evidence from the scene shows Deleon engaging with at least two additional individuals who fortunately managed to escape without injury, indicating the chaotic and threatening nature of the event.
Sources indicate that Deleon, believed to be homeless, was under the influence of drugs and suffering from mental health issues during the attack. At his arraignment, his attorney requested a psychological evaluation for Deleon. The judge subsequently denied bail after he entered a not-guilty plea to charges that included attempted murder and assault.
The incident unfolded around 7 p.m. as Deleon entered Penn Station, starting his assaults in the NJ Transit boarding area. All five injured individuals were promptly treated at Bellevue Hospital, with reports indicating that one was in serious condition while the others sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Eyewitness accounts describe the scene as chaotic, with one victim recapping his experience of being treated alongside others who exhibited more visible injuries.
Amtrak police apprehended Deleon shortly after he attacked his last victim, following which he discarded the weapon. Previous records reveal Deleon has had multiple run-ins with law enforcement, including arrests in both New York and New Jersey for various offenses ranging from drug possession to domestic assault.
This incident adds to ongoing conversations regarding safety in urban environments and the need for addressing mental health and homelessness. As the investigation continues, local authorities are expected to take further measures to ensure the protection of commuters in major transit hubs.
