Daniel Williams Charged In SEPTA Stabbing In Philly
A man is facing attempted murder charges after allegedly stabbing a stranger from behind on a SEPTA platform in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced on Monday, July 21.
A SEPTA train.
Daniel Williams, 35, of Brookhaven, is accused of attacking a 66-year-old man at the Berks Street Station in Kensington on Thursday, July 4. Surveillance footage allegedly shows Williams holding a knife as he walks up behind the victim and stabs him without warning, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
Williams then ran, tossed the knife, and was captured nearby after bystanders directed officers to his location, the AG said.
The victim remains in critical condition, officials confirmed.
Williams is charged with Felony Attempted Murder, Felony Aggravated Assault, and Misdemeanor Possessing an Instrument of Crime, the release states. He is being held on $800,000 bail. His preliminary hearing, originally scheduled for Monday, was continued to Tuesday, Aug. 6.
The case will be prosecuted by a newly appointed Special Prosecutor for Mass Transit under Act 40, a law enacted in December 2023 to address rising violence on SEPTA. The AG’s Office said its transit prosecutors have taken on approximately 40 cases so far, with a dozen currently pending in court.
The Special Prosecutor’s office is focused on crimes that directly harm SEPTA riders and employees, with the goal of restoring confidence in public transit safety, the AG’s Office added.
