Teen Arrested in Shocking Queens Bus Stop Stabbing: What We Know About the Random Attack in East Elmhurst

CAUGHT? Teen Arrested in Bus Stop Stabbing 

By Staff Reporter

Queens Voice

March 19, 2026

QUEENS, NY - Police arrested a teen in connection with the vicious stabbing of a mother of three at a Queens bus stop, and he lived a few doors down from where the woman was attacked.

Police say an 18-year-old suspect is in custody following what investigators are calling a random, unprovoked stabbing attack at a Queens bus stop during the morning commute.

Authorities identified the suspect as Luis Emmanuel Valencia Ponce, 18, who lives just blocks away from where the attack happened. He was arrested Thursday and charged with attempted murder and two counts of assault in connection with the incident.

According to investigators, the suspect allegedly carried out the violent knife attack in East Elmhurst, Queens, near a busy commuter bus stop without any clear motive.

The victim, Lisette Ramales, was simply going about her normal routine Monday morning when the attack unfolded. Around 6:17 a.m. on March 16, 2026, she was standing at a bus stop at 23rd Avenue and 94th Street — a heavily trafficked area along the Q49 route and near LaGuardia Airport.

That’s when, police say, the suspect approached her from behind.

Without warning, he allegedly pulled out a knife and began stabbing her multiple times in what officials describe as a random stabbing of a woman waiting at a Queens bus stop during rush hour.

Ramales later told authorities she did not know the attacker.

Investigators say surveillance footage shows the suspect stalking the victim moments before the attack — a chilling detail that has added to public concern.

Video circulating on social media appears to show the woman standing alone before the attacker walks up behind her and carries out the assault. The footage has since spread widely, drawing attention to the early morning commuter stabbing incident in Queens, New York.

Emergency responders arrived quickly at the scene following the stabbing. Ramales was rushed to NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, where she was treated for multiple injuries.

Despite the severity of the attack, she is currently listed in stable condition — a detail many in the community are holding onto as a small piece of good news.

As of now, police say there is still no known motive behind the attack. Investigators continue to piece together what led to the unprovoked knife attack at a public bus stop in East Elmhurst.

The randomness of the incident has left residents shaken, especially given the location — a busy, well-traveled area during peak commuting hours.

For many in Queens, the idea that such a violent act could happen in broad daylight, during a routine commute, is deeply unsettling.

The intersection where the attack occurred is typically filled with commuters heading to work, making this Queens bus stop stabbing during morning rush hour particularly alarming.

As the investigation continues, authorities are urging anyone with additional information to come forward.