A brutal, unprovoked attack on a Los Angeles Metro train Monday morning left a woman dead. The incident occurred on a southbound train at the Universal City B Line Station, located near the prominent tourist destination of Universal Studios. LAPD responded to the scene at around 5 a.m., where they discovered a woman who had been stabbed in the throat with two small kitchen knives, as per KTLA 5’s Rachel Menitoff.
Following the attack, the suspect, 45-year-old Elliot Tramel Nowden, fled the scene on foot. A detail of surveillance cameras and witness descriptions led to his arrest near Ventura Boulevard and Vineland Avenue. Nowden, identified as homeless, has since been charged with murder and is being held on $2 million bail. Authorities have revealed that Nowden and the victim did not have any known connection, describing the attack as "completely unprovoked," according to a statement obtained by KTLA from LAPD Det. Meghan Aguilar.
Service on the Metro was temporarily suspended to facilitate the investigation, with bus bridges implemented between the North Hollywood and Hollywood-Highland stations, L.A. Metro spokesperson Dave Sotero said in a statement acquired by Hoodline. This disruption came on an inauspicious day for L.A. Metro, which was offering free rides in observance of Earth Day. The fatal stabbing cast a somber note on the sustainable transportation initiative and left the community in mourning.
While recent months have seen numerous deadly incidents on Los Angeles public transportation, LA Metro data suggests that overall passenger crime has decreased by approximately 10% from last year. This statistic, however, does little to alleviate the concerns of Metro users. "I take Metro every day and it’s gotten worse and worse," a Studio City resident, who only identified themselves as Jackinman, told KTLA. "It used to be that it was downtown only, but it’s come all the way out to the valley."
The LAPD Newsroom has released a photograph of Nowden and is urging anyone with additional information, including potential unreported victims, to come forward. Information can be shared with the Operations Valley Bureau Homicide Detectives or through the LA Regional Crime Stoppers for those wishing to remain anonymous. Detectives are especially keen to connect with those who have had encounters with Nowden that may aid in further substantiating the investigation.
