Police arrest suspect in stabbing near BART station in Union City

UNION CITY >> A 38-yearold man was arrested as a suspect in an apparent attempted homicide after stabbing a man in the neck and fleeing into the city's BART station, forcing its closure for a short time Sunday, authorities said.

In a statement Sunday night, police said officers responded to Union Square near the BART station shortly before 5:35 p.m. for a report of a stabbing. When officers arrived, they found a 37-year-old man with a stab wound. First responders took the man to a hospital for treatment. Police said he was expected to survive.

After searching the area, officers found a suspect, whom witnesses identified as the victim's attacker, inside the station. Witnesses told police that the victim had been out walking with his wife and young child when they passed the suspect, who ran up behind the victim before attacking him and fleeting the scene.

The suspect was arrested and taken into custody. His exact charges were not available late Sunday.

According to BART police records, officers arrested the same suspect in July 2020 on suspicion of resisting arrest and giving false identification to police, and booked him into Santa Rita jail.

Shortly before 5:50 p.m., BART social-media posts said the station was closed, with trains continuing to run through without stopping. About twenty-five minutes later, the station reopened to visitors, with trains stopping. AC Transit buses provided mutual aid via its No. 99 line from Union City to the South Hayward and Fremont stations, officials said.

A police spokesman called for comment late Sunday declined to directly connect the assault and the station closure.

Anyone with information may call Union City police Det. Andrew Smith at AndrewS@unioncity.org or call 510-675-5268, or anonymously call the department's tip line at 510-6755207 or e-mail tips@unioncity.org