Stabbing of 2 court security officers at Manhattan courthouse was 'calculated attack': Prosecutors
The man who allegedly stabbed two court security officers as they screened people at the metal detectors at the Manhattan criminal courthouse was carrying out a "planned and calculated attack" that would have been worse had the weapon not been curved, prosecutors said.
Jonathan Wohl made his initial appearance on Tuesday in the same courthouse where he allegedly charged at officers with a folding knife on Monday, prosecutors said. He also allegedly carried handwritten papers that prosecutors said expressed animosity toward the court system.
Wohl is charged with two counts of attempted murder, three counts of attempted aggravated assault upon a police officer and two counts of assault, officials said. He did not enter a plea and the judge remanded him into custody.
Wohl has a history of problematic interactions with court security officers over the last two years, prosecutors said, but at the time of the attack, Wohl had no pending cases at Manhattan criminal court.
Wohl allegedly charged the metal detectors on Monday morning with his folding knife open and ready inside his bag, according to the criminal complaint.
He allegedly slashed the first officer at least twice, cutting both sides of the officer’s face, prosecutors said.
Another officer tried to shield himself with a tray, but Wohl allegedly slashed him twice, causing a laceration to the officer's face and a puncture wound to the side of his neck that required stitches, prosecutors said.
After five hard, downward stabs, prosecutors said another court officer tackled Wohl, who continued to struggle with the knife, stabbing a third officer in the back of his vest, and trying to use the knife against other officers who were subduing him. During the struggle, one sergeant’s ribs were broken and another officer sustained bruising, prosecutors said.
All five injured officers have since been released from the hospital, officials said.
The officers' injuries would have almost certainly been worse, or even fatal, if not for their vests and if not for the fact that the blade was curved, prosecutors said.
According to prosecutors, Wohl had notebook containing the messages "Give me liberty or give me death" and "Protect Rodney Hinton." Rodney Hinton is an Ohio man who is charged with fatally striking a police officer with his car in retaliation for his own son's death in a police shooting.
"Our court officers perform a vital, profound function. It’s a dangerous job," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. "The defendant, we allege, as it appears, engaged in targeted activity focused on officers. We will not tolerate that."
