MARTA seeks to reassure riders after fatal train stabbing
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MARTA is increasing police presence at stations and on trains and emphasizing its public safety resources. Photo: Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
MARTA is aiming to rebuild rider confidence after the fatal stabbing of a 66-year-old woman on a train.
State of play: Several recent violent incidents have raised concerns about public safety as MARTA prepares to transport hundreds of thousands of World Cup fans during the six-week tournament.
- MARTA officials have said the system is one of the safest in the country and that crime has dropped below pre-pandemic levels, the AJC reports. But a rash of violence has challenged that perception.
Catch up quick: On May 30, Margaret Swan, a great-grandmother and retired APS employee, was riding the train home by herself when she was stabbed in what MARTA Police Chief Scott Kreher said was a seemingly random attack.
- Emergency responders attempted to treat Swan's injuries but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
- John Elijah Matthews, 25, was arrested at the Oakland City MARTA station platform without incident, Kreher said.
- He is in custody at the Fulton County Jail and faces a state murder charge as well as a federal charge alleging violence resulting in death on a mass transportation system.
Roughly one week earlier, a disagreement at the Georgia State Station led to a man being stabbed, Kreher said.
Zoom in: In an email statement to Axios, MARTA emphasized its 280-officer force, 12,000 security cameras, undercover patrols and a security operations center.
- Officers have started working six-day-a-week shifts and will continue that schedule until the World Cup ends, according to the AJC.
- Officers from other metro Atlanta police departments and Denver will assist. Read more details
Zoom out: Atlanta police and fire departments have budgeted a combined $42 million in overtime costs for the World Cup and expect federal reimbursement, city officials said.
Context: Some riders say MARTA's decision to allow fare-free entry at some stations has contributed to the perception of declining public safety.
- As MARTA transitioned to its new Better Breeze fare system, some stations operated with open gates during installation and testing.
This past weekend, the transit agency asked riders to resume fare payment, even if the doors were still open.
What they're saying: MARTA spokesperson Stephany Fisher said in a statement that Swan's death was a "senseless and heartbreaking loss" and that the agency was committed to protecting customers and employees.