A Bronx subway conductor was violently assaulted last year after asking a passenger to stand clear of closing train doors, prosecutors said at the start of the suspect’s trial on Friday. The incident occurred on June 10, 2025, at the Morrison Avenue-Soundview station on the No. 6 subway line.
Isaiah Thompson, 29, reportedly reacted to the conductor’s request with hostility, telling her to “shut the f— up” and refusing to comply. According to Bronx Assistant District Attorney Dylan Flanders, after the conductor reopened the doors to allow Thompson to board, he immediately confronted her. When the train reached the Whitlock Avenue stop, Thompson exited the train, grabbed the conductor, and slashed her face with a sharp object, leaving a permanent scar.
The victim, a 36-year-old mother of two who had worked for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for two years, is expected to testify during the trial, providing direct testimony identifying Thompson as the attacker. Prosecutors have also presented video surveillance footage from the scene that they say clearly shows Thompson committing the assault.
Thompson, who has a history of criminal activity primarily connected to subway lines in New York City, has been arrested 18 times for offenses ranging from fare evasion to more serious acts. Records show that in 2019, he was caught exposing himself on a No. 2 train and pulling the emergency brake, actions he later admitted were intended to draw attention.
The charges against Thompson include multiple counts of assault, menacing, and weapons possession. The trial is being held in Bronx Criminal Court, where a strong presence of MTA union members gathered to support the conductor. Chris Drummond, an executive board member of Transport Workers Union Local 100, condemned the attack and expressed hope for justice.
“This is not an isolated incident,” Drummond said, highlighting a broader pattern of violence against transit workers. He pointed to a recent separate assault in Queens, where police released images of a suspect accused of attacking a 51-year-old transit worker on the E train platform at 71st Avenue. “We have dozens upon dozens of our brothers and sisters who’ve been slashed, spit on, punched, assaulted, attempted rape,” Drummond added. “We absolutely, without question, right now have the most dangerous job in New York City.”
Thompson’s defense attorney, Laura Weiner, questioned the prosecution’s reliance on a single eyewitness, noting that despite the attack occurring in a crowded train and platform area, no other witnesses are expected to testify. She indicated that this could raise doubts about the prosecution’s case.
The trial is ongoing, with further testimony and examination expected in the coming days. Law enforcement and transit officials continue to stress the challenges faced by subway workers amid rising incidents of violence across the city’s transit system.