A deranged homeless man who went on a stabbing spree in New York’s Penn Station is a repeat offender with a history of stabbing people and then being released from police custody because of the state’s cashless bail law.
Homeless suspect Hector Deleon hurt five people — one seriously — during a Sunday night stabbing spree at Penn Station.
“Deleon, 51, allegedly unleashed the unprovoked attack around 7 p.m. Sunday inside the New Jersey Transit boarding area, filling the station with the blood-curdling screams of the victims as crowds of terrified commuters ran for their lives,” according to a New York Post report.
Deleon had so much “rage in his eyes,” as described by one victim, that the police had to sedate him just to get him into an ambulance.
Hector Deleon, the Penn Station mass stabbing suspect. | Via @NBCNewYork pic.twitter.com/PrFy3Mi8tg
— Crime In NYC (@Crime_In_NYC) June 8, 2026
A separate Post report reveals that Deleon has an extensive criminal history, including seven prior arrests for crimes such as aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, use or possession of drugs, assault, domestic assault, and criminal mischief.
His latest arrest occurred on May 22 in New Jersey’s Long Branch after he tried to steal $4 in coins from a Dunkin’ Donuts tip jar. He was found by the police with a “clear glass pipe with a burnt brown color” in his pocket and subsequently charged with theft and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Deleon’s most notorious arrest occurred in 2022 after he slashed a Newark man with a knife whose blade reportedly bore similarities to the one used in this week’s Penn Station attack.
“Officials said he used a 6-inch knife with a black or gray handle to slash a man, who wasn’t publicly identified, in the neck on Frelinghuysen Avenue after the pair got into an argument,” according to the Post.
The man whom Deleon attacked on Feb. 8 of that year reportedly told him he wasn’t allowed on the property because he had stolen things.
Deleon “became enraged and pulled out a 6-inch knife with a black/gray handle, stabbing the victim once on the left side of his neck,” a criminal complaint shared with the Post reads.
The unnamed victim wound up in the trauma ward, where he reportedly received nine stitches to his neck.
Deleon was arrested days later on Feb. 14 for aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
However, he was “quickly” released four days later on cashless bail and ended up receiving a paltry two-year probation sentence a year later. And then to make matters worse, his bad behavior continued through probation.
“Before Deleon’s probation ended … he racked up a probation violation in 2024,” the Post notes. “What offense led to the probation violation was unclear. Deleon also appeared to have been arrested at least two times while he was on probation, including for another alleged act of violence.”
Below is video footage from his latest arrest:
Shocking video from Penn Station shows Amtrak police quickly tackling and arresting the suspect after a random stabbing injured five people on Sunday evening.
The attacker, identified as 51-year-old Hector Deleon from New Jersey, is a homeless repeat offender with a history of…
— SafetySwipe (@SafetyNotorious) June 9, 2026
Marina Berger, a young advertising intern from New Jersey, told the Post that the latest subway incident frightened her.
“It’s definitely very upsetting to hear, especially as a young woman who’s just recently going to have to commute to the city pretty often — and I definitely think there should be better security measures put in place,” she said.
A 2019 bail reform law that was part of the state budget eliminated cash (money) bail for most misdemeanors and non-violent felonies. Judges must generally release people pretrial on their own recognizance or with non-monetary conditions (e.g., supervised release) rather than requiring payment. It applies across New York State, so it covers New York City.
Note, though, that cash bail is still allowed (and judges still have discretion) for a number of felonies, certain repeat offenses, domestic violence cases, and other specified serious charges. Amendments expanded these carve-outs.
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V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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