Man charged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing Queens subway rider

QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) --- A woman is fighting for her life after she suffered a punctured liver and lung when she was repeatedly stabbed for not giving the suspect money in a Queens subway station on Sunday, prosecutors said.

Randol Contreras, 24, was charged with attempted murder, assault, attempted robbery, and criminal possession of a weapon for allegedly attacking the 23-year-old woman at the mezzanine level in the Jamaica-Van Wyck subway station, according to the criminal complaint.

"A young woman is fighting for her life after being stabbed in an unprovoked attack as she exited the subway system. Millions of New Yorkers rely on our mass transit system, and we will aggressively prosecute those that commit violence on our subways," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.

Prosecutors said Contreras asked the woman for some money as she came off the escalator in the subway station at around 8: 30 p.m. When the victim told him she didn't have any, he allegedly pulled a knife and stabbed her multiple times in the abdomen, and slashed her in the face before tossing the weapon into a nearby trash can.

The victim's liver and lung were slit during the attack. Good Samaritans held Contreras at the scene until cops arrived, police said.

Contreras pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Monday and is being held without bail, according to court records.

His attorney could not immediately be reached Tuesday.