NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office indicted a 36-year-old man on Wednesday for three Christmas Day attacks in Grand Central Terminal in which he allegedly sliced two teenage sisters and stabbed a woman with a fork.
Esteban Esonoasue, aka Steven Hutcherson, of Manhattan, is charged in a 7-count New York State Supreme Court indictment that includes charges of second-degree attempted murder, assault, attempted assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
“As alleged, Esteban Esonoasue viciously attacked three strangers at Grand Central Terminal, one of our city’s most-visited and beloved landmarks,” said District Attorney Alvin Bragg. “Two teenage tourists were seriously injured while enjoying their holiday trip to New York with their family, and a woman was attacked in the neck with a fork. We don’t tolerate violence in our transit hubs.”
On the morning of Dec. 25, Esonoasue was at the Tartinery Café at Grand Central Terminal when he suddenly grabbed a fork from the dining table and scratched a woman’s neck, court documents and records allege.
The defendant then took out a knife he already had in his possession and approached the family of tourists from South America at table across from him, which included two teenage girls.
Esonoasue allegedly stabbed a 16-year-old girl in the back, puncturing deep enough to injure her lung and diaphragm. While her 14-year-old sister tried to escape, and the defendant allegedly stabbed her leg.
At that point, prosecutors said that Esonoasue dropped the knife and surrendered.