Feds to Investigate Atlanta's Transit Authority After 2 Stabbings in One Week: Duffy

On May 24, a man was stabbed at the Georgia State MARTA light rail station. Six days later, a woman was stabbed to death on another train outside the Oakland City station.

John Rigolizzo

Published: 6/5/2026, 11:51:01 PM EDT

Feds to Investigate Atlanta's Transit Authority After 2 Stabbings in One Week: Duffy — Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy testifies during a House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Oversight hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 16, 2025. (Rod Lamkey, Jr./AP Photo)

The Trump administration is stepping in after two people were stabbed in the span of a week on public transit in Atlanta.

On May 24, a man was stabbed at the Georgia State MARTA light rail station. Six days later, a woman was stabbed to death on another train outside the Oakland City station. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said on June 4 that his department is looking into the matter and demanding answers from the MARTA authority about crime and safety procedures.

"This is Margaret Swan, a great-grandmother stabbed to death 20 TIMES in a random attack in the middle of the day on Atlanta’s public transit," Duffy wrote on X in reference to the latter case. "Her murder was the second horrific attack on MARTA in a week. I want ANSWERS from Atlanta. The number of assaults, robberies, and rapes on MARTA’s trains is MORE THAN THREE TIMES the national average. Margaret’s family DESERVES ACCOUNTABILITY. No one should be forced to fear for their safety on public transit."

In a press release, the Department of Transportation stated that the Federal Transit Administration is giving MARTA 15 days to provide historical data trends and an action plan for crime and fare evasion enforcement, and a full financial breakdown of passenger and worker safety spending that meets federal standards.

The FTA is also conducting an investigation into MARTA's compliance with federal regulations on Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans programs, and the transit agency's response to prior FTA directives regarding transit rider and worker safety.

The FTA said it will conduct an independent assessment of MARTA’s Safety Risk Reduction Program, and evaluate MARTA's compliance with a 2024 FTA directive on how the transit agency dealt with assaults on transit workers.

The 2 Incidents That Sparked Federal Investigation

The first incident occurred on May 24. According to a local news report from the time, police officers responded to the Georgia State MARTA station at around 1:30 p.m. They found the victim, a man, conscious and alert, but with stab wounds to his chest, arm, mid-back, and knee.

The man was taken to a local hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Police said the victim punched the suspect in the face, and a scuffle ensued. At the station, the suspect chased the victim onto the concourse, where he stabbed him.

Crime Stoppers Atlanta posted photos of the suspect to social media, seeking the public's help in identifying him. He has not been identified yet.

The second incident occurred on May 30. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia, 66-year-old Margaret Swan of Atlanta was riding on a MARTA train from the Lakewood to Oakland City station.

At around 11:25 a.m., the suspect, identified as John Elijah Williams, stabbed Swan approximately 20 times in the neck and chest with a folding knife as she attempted to defend herself. Other passengers fled to safety and called for help.

At least one passenger confirmed that Swan had no interaction with Matthews before the fatal attack, the attorney's office said.

Police arrested Matthews upon arrival at the Oakland City station, where he was allegedly in possession of a bloody folding knife that matched surveillance video and had blood on his clothes.

First responders attempted to render aid to Swan, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Matthews was indicted on June 2 for committing an act of violence using a dangerous weapon with the intent to cause death on a mass transportation system.

If convicted, he faces a potential life sentence or even the death penalty. He is currently in local custody but is set to appear in federal court at a later date.

NTD News has reached out to MARTA for comment.