Man hospitalized after being stabbed on Richmond-bound BART train in Oakland

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BART's Fruitvale station was closed for nearly two hours Friday afternoon after a man was stabbed during a fight on a Richmond-bound train.

The station was closed just after 3 p.m. and officials announced it reopened and normal service resumed at approximately 5 p.m. The transit agency is disclosing very little about the incident, except that the victim is expected to recover and his assailant is still on the loose. 

Two men were fighting on a train when one stabbed another as the train approached the station, according to BART spokeswoman Anna Duckworth. The altercation spilled out onto the platform, leaving a trail of evidence all the way to the ground floor turnstiles. 

"It's definitely jarring," said passenger Jordan Edwards of Oakland. "I think it's a call for people to be aware and out of their phones and as present for their ride as possible."

The male who was stabbed is being treated at a hospital for non-life threatening injuries. The suspect who allegedly stabbed the man is at large, police said. 

"A stabbing should never have occurred, and we all deserve to be able to travel safely," said Alameda resident Roland Reynolds, hearing about the incident. "I'm not surprised by it, because we live in a very volatile world and there are many people who have mental illness issues."

The incident brought a swarm of police to the station, ironically the high profile presence passengers often say they wish they had. 

"I think security and BART Police should be more visible, " said rider Alex Hall of Oakland. "And that might de-escalate [or] make someone think twice before they commit a crime."


 

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