Surveillance video captures fatal Atlanta MARTA train stabbing
Atlanta train stabbing leaves grandmother dead
A 25-year-old suspect faces murder charges after a grandmother was fatally stabbed on a transit train at Oakland City Station, according to police.
ATLANTA - An arrest warrant obtained by FOX 5 is revealing new details after a woman was stabbed to death on an Atlanta MARTA train near the Oakland City Station on Saturday.
Oakland City stabbing
What we know:
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority police said 25-year-old John Elijah Matthews stabbed and killed Swan on a train at the Oakland City station. Swan was stabbed 18 to 20 times, and her throat was cut during the attack, according to her daughter, Shanae Sams.
The incident happened Saturday night, marking the second stabbing on the transit system within a two-week period. Sams said her mother used the transit system frequently without previous problems and was simply minding her own business when she was attacked for no reason.
Transit safety questions
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet confirmed where security personnel or police officers were positioned when the screaming began on the train. It remains unclear what motivated Matthews to launch the attack or if any riders attempted to intervene during the incident.
Transit representatives have not detailed exactly how long it took for emergency responders to arrive at the Oakland City station after the stabbing took place.
John Elijah Matthews (Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office)
Security footage shows stabbing
Timeline:
Security footage shows Swan sitting completely alone inside MARTA train car 134 around 11:25 a.m. on Saturday, according to an arrest warrant.
The warrant states Matthews walked up to stand near her right side, pulled a knife out of his front pants pocket, grabbed Swan by her head, and cut her throat.
Swan screamed and attempted to rise from her seat before Matthews grabbed her right arm and stabbed her roughly 18 to 20 times in an unprovoked attack.
Matthews then threw Swan to the floor and stood beside her until the northbound train pulled into the Oakland City Station at approximately 11:27 a.m.
After the train stopped, Matthews walked out of the train car onto the north end of the station platform holding the knife in his right hand.
At 11:28 a.m., surveillance video captured MARTA police officers rushing to intercept and arrest Matthews on the platform with their weapons drawn. Matthews complied with all verbal instructions given by the arresting units, and the knife was found lying right next to him.
A patrolling officer rushed to the train car at 11:30 a.m. after a large crowd of passengers reported that a man wearing an orange shirt had stabbed a woman.
The responding officer found Swan lying motionless in a large pool of blood and attempted life-saving measures until emergency medics arrived.
Swan ultimately died at the scene and was pronounced deceased by the Fulton County Medical Examiner at 2 p.m.
Authorities immediately evacuated the station, suspended rail service until just before 3 p.m., and used shuttle buses to transport 80 to 100 stranded passengers to their destinations.
In addition to criminal charges, Matthews is permanently banned from all MARTA property.
‘Where were the security?’
What they're saying:
Sams said the family is enduring an incredibly difficult time and cannot erase the graphic details of the murder from their minds.
"My mother wouldn’t hurt nobody, nobody," Sams said. "For her to be taken like that and nobody helped and y'all heard her screaming."
Sams stressed that the tragedy could have been prevented if more security guards had been present on the transit lines.
"They can’t give me any answers, where were the security?" Sams asked.
The transit agency released a statement expressing deep sympathies and calling the murder a senseless and heartbreaking loss. Representatives stated that a dedicated police force of 280 sworn officers works daily to protect riders.
The transit system utilizes 12,000 security cameras, undercover patrols, and a real-time crime enforcement center. Officials said they are enhancing safety efforts for the FIFA World Cup by adding more police, increasing regional law enforcement partnerships, and placing extra personnel throughout the system.
What's next:
Court officials confirmed that Matthews chose to waive his initial court appearance on Monday. It is unclear when his next court appearance will be.
RELATED:
- Victim, suspect identified in deadly Atlanta train stabbing
- Woman stabbed to death on Atlanta MARTA train; 1 arrested
Dig deeper:
According to MARTA crime statistics, rail services have had the most crime reports over the past five years.
RELATED: MARTA crime: A look at crime stats before FIFA World Cup
A full breakdown of crime reported on MARTA property from 2020 to 2025 can be found below.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a criminal arrest warrant obtained by FOX 5, MARTA crime reporting statistics and previous FOX 5 reporting.