Homeless Man Charged In Slashing Attack

Steven Jackson, a 48-year-old homeless man, has been charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon after allegedly attacking a Queens resident on a subway platform in Forest Hills on Oct. 2.

The event caused a near panic on Austin Street Saturday night, with police cruisers blocking much of the area to arrest Jackson outside a packed restaurant.

According to the criminal complaint, at around 10:50 p.m. Saturday night, Jackson approached 61-year-old Siew Khuen Loh on the subway platform from behind, brandishing a knife. An eyewitness on the scene allegedly saw Jackson grab Loh around the shoulders, then saw Loh shudder and fall to the ground, bleeding from the neck.

After the attack, Jackson allegedly ran away from his victim, and onto the streets above, where police eventually found him, allegedly with the bloody knife still in his right front pants pocket.

Loh was taken by ambulance to Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, according to police, and District Attorney Richard Brown said that he received 15 to 20 stitches as a result of the knife wound on the back of his neck.

"The defendant in this case is alleged to have set upon an innocent victim who was merely waiting for a subway train," Brown said in a statement after the arraignment. "The victim was struck from behind, without warning or provocation, and never had a chance to defend himself. He is fortunate, indeed, that he was not more severely injured. "

Jackson was arraigned Monday in front of Queens Criminal Court Justice Stephanie Zaro, who ordered him to remain in the custody of the state without bail until his next hearing on Nov. 9.

Jackson faces one count each of first- and second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

If convicted, Jackson could face as up to 25 years in prison.