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Amtrak Stabbing Attack: Man Stabs Conductor, Three Passengers On Amtrak Train

By Effie Orfanides
Published on: 04:26 PST, Dec 8, 2014

An Amtrak stabbing attack left four people injured, and one man charged in a frightening incident that police say could have been much worse. According to CBS News, Michael Williams, 44, of Saginaw, Michigan, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, after he stabbed the train’s conductor and three passengers on board an Amtrak train. Police were able to get to the suspect before he could harm any more people.

“Officers pushed their way onto the train past the passengers exiting and were immediately confronted [by Williams]. Officers quickly subdued the subject with the use of a Taser and he was taken into custody,” said Niles police chief Jim Millin in a statement.

Victims of the Amtrak stabbing attack are all said to be in stable condition. The incident occurred on Friday night, and witnesses say that the suspect was “acting erratically” before he went on a rampage of sorts.

“I heard somebody screaming and yelling just loud. I look up and there’s an African-American gentleman standing over someone who’s sitting down in one of the first seats in the car and I see him have his fist up and then bring it down,” explained passenger Caitlin Cipri.

According to NewsMax, a motive is unclear at this time. Reports make it sound like this was a random act of violence, and that these people were not targeted. There was one female among the four victims involved, but it sounds like all four may have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“It doesn’t appear he was screaming or in anger against any of these people. He just started cutting and stabbing,” said Millin.

Some media outlets seem to be dragging race into this story, but it is unknown if this was a hate crime. Since the Michael Brown case in Ferguson and the Eric Garner case in New York, many are quick to jump to conclusions. Police have not said whether they are looking into the incident as a race-fueled crime.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, several people reacted to the stabbing on Twitter.

[Photo courtesy of CBS News video screen capture]

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