Photo: Stock Image
OAKLAND — A man brandishing a meat cleaver stabbed a BART train passenger during the afternoon of May 10. The suspect 24-year-old Charles B. Johnson resides in San Francisco, when he is not in trouble with police. Johnson has been arrested 13 times since 2019.
As an eastbound train sped through the Transbay Tube, a man paced through BART cars looking for a victim. As the train approached West Oakland station shortly before 1 p.m., he stabbed one passenger and stole his backpack.
Panicked passengers ran through the moving train to keep away from him, while others cowered in their seats. Finally, the attacker exited when the train stopped, and the doors opened at the station. From there, the stabbing victim, a 25-year-old man was transported to a hospital. His injuries are non-life-threatening.
In a prepared statement BART police said. “Johnson attempted to flee with the victim’s backpack, but officers apprehended him at West Oakland. Officers recovered the weapon and the victim’s backpack.”
Johnson was booked at Alameda County Santa Rita Jail. Bond for release from custody was set at $130,000. He faces charges for assault with a deadly weapon PC 245(A) and robbery PC 212.5.
The same suspect also has another active case involving BART. Johnson was arrested May 3 by BART police for vandalism. Moreover, he was already on probation for a vandalism conviction in 2021.
Incidentally, Johnson has been arrested eight times for vandalism since 2019. He also has prior arrests on his record for battery, burglary, elder abuse, and other offenses.
