In “Ny Times”: Interview with the Ninja Sword Swinger in NYC Subway

0. post title: “Subway Ninja with Sword Charged in M.T.A. Disruption, Prosecutors Say”

Subway Ninja with Sword Charged in M.T.A. Disruption, Prosecutors Say | The New York Times

1. Category: Local
2. Category: Crime
3. Category: Manhattan
4. Category: Courts
5. Category: Legal Affairs
6. Category: Transportation
7. Category: New York City
8. Category: New York State
9. Category: Metro-North (Railroad)
10. Category: Commuter Rail
11. Category: LIRR (Railroad)

In a remarkable stunt on Wednesday evening, a self-styled “subway ninja” leapfrogged turnstiles at the 42nd Street-Port Authority Bus Terminal station in Manhattan, waving a 23-inch-long sword as members of the public panicked and scattered. The NYPD was able to apprehend him without any injuries being sustained. The suspect was taken to Bellevue Hospital Center for evaluation, as was standard for defendants who make false suicide threats or wave weapons, and then taken to a cell at the Manhattan Detention Complex.

The authorities have obtained an indictment against Tamerlan Dekhtiarov, 28, a citizen of Russia, charging him with four counts related to the disruption, which caused thousands of commuters to be delayed during rush hour. The case against Dekhtiarov, who has previously been convicted in New Jersey of administrative charges primarily related to fraudulent certifications, could expose him to decades in prison. The local authorities are charging him with one count of reckless endangerment and three counts of terrorism, while the federal authorities have charged him with one count each of interstate transportation of an instrument of crime and interference with commerce by threats or violence.

The subway-ninja style disruptor movement, also known as “fare-beating,” involves talking to the police, frequently disrupting subway service in the city, and sometimes waving weapons to appear fearsome in videos. While criticizing fare-beating, officials stated that the city’s subway system remains safe for riders, with crime decreasing year over year.

Earlier this year, Governor Cuomo signed a law that went into effect on Monday that allows Metro-North commuters to access the subway system for a flat fare, as part of an expanded fare-payment system aimed at working to alleviate the burden for commuters who are unable to transfer between different systems because of the difference in payment.

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