HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that his appointed Special Prosecutor for Mass Transit will prosecute the July 4 stabbing incident at the Berks (SEPTA) subway station in Kensington.
Daniel Williams, 35, of Brookhaven, is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, and possessing an instrument of crime. He is being held on $800,000 bail.
A preliminary hearing scheduled for Monday was continued to Aug. 6.
Williams is charged with stabbing the victim, a 66-year-old man, from behind as the victim was standing on a platform. The victim remains in critical condition.
”My office is committed to keeping every community of the Commonwealth safe, and that includes on mass transit vehicles and at stations that have far too often been the scenes of violent crimes like this one,” Attorney General Sunday said. “The state legislature passed and the Governor signed Act 40 into law as a means to provide further protections for commuters who use mass transit in Philadelphia and SEPTA employees. I fully intend to use this tool to work towards a safer Pennsylvania.”
The Special Prosecutor for Mass Transit staff has adopted approximately 40 cases, and a dozen of those are filed and pending court proceedings.
The Special Prosecutor has focused on cases involving victimization of SEPTA riders and personnel. This focus is in an effort to increase the level of safety on the system and to restore confidence in the ability of the system to provide safe transportation to the community.Act 40, which was passed by the legislature and signed into law by the governor in December 2023, required the Office of Attorney General to appoint a special prosecutor to “investigate and institute criminal proceedings” for violations of law occurring within SEPTA.
In the July 4 attack, investigators compiled surveillance video that showed Williams with a knife in his hand approach the victim from behind and stab him. Williams then fled, throwing the knife. Bystanders pointed responding officers to Williams’ location and he was taken into custody.
Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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