LETTER: Dangerous incidents involving public transportation

The Review-Journal reports that a Regional Transportation Commission employee, George Duke, was taken to UMC after being stabbed in the chest at a downtown bus stop. Mr. Duke had informed a group at the bus stop that he would get them a bus as soon as possible. According to the report, an obscenity-laced outburst by the accused directed at Mr. Duke ensued, and the stabbing followed.

Last week, a New York City subway passenger applied a chokehold to a fellow passenger — who reportedly was “screaming in an aggressive manner.” Jordan Neely, the passenger, died following the encounter. Mr. Neely was a diagnosed schizophrenic who had more than a dozen previous encounters with police and had a warrant out for his arrest for an alleged assault on a 67-year-old woman.

The 24-year-old ex-Marine, Daniel Penny, who stepped in to subdue the aggressive passenger, is white and Mr. Neely is Black. There have been protests, claims of racism and calls for vengeance. The young ex-Marine has been charged with manslaughter.

Reportedly, there were at least two other subway riders who were concerned enough that they decided to get involved in what they perceived to be a dangerous situation.

Whatever the judge and jury in New York decide, I’ll bet our neighbor Mr. Duke, wishes that before a butcher knife was plunged into his chest someone had stepped up to help — and even used a chokehold.