A routine trip on an Atlanta transit train turned into a nightmare when 66-year-old Margaret Swan was killed in what police describe as a random and brutal knife attack. Now, her family is demanding answers about security and safety on the city's transit system.
According to police, Swan was riding a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) train near Oakland City Station on May 30 when she was attacked. John Elijah Matthews, 25, was arrested shortly afterward at the station and taken into custody.
Tragedy could have been prevented?
Swan's daughter, Shanae Sams, pointed to what she sees as major security failures on the transit system, arguing that weak policing, limited patrols, and a temporary free-fare policy made it easier for dangerous individuals to move through the network unchecked.
"To me, it's negligence with the security and the patrolling," Sams told the New York Post, adding that ongoing renovations had made rides free for commuters. She argued that the lack of barriers and visible security created an environment where "anybody has access to get on and off the trains."
According to a warrant obtained by 11Alive, surveillance footage shows Matthews boarding the train around 11:20 a.m. and hovering near Swan, who was sitting alone. Investigators say he then pulled out a knife and slit her throat.
Cries for help went unanswered
Authorities allege Swan screamed and tried to get away, but Matthews held her down and stabbed her another 18 to 20 times before leaving her wounded on the train. According to Sams, her mother cried out for help during the attack.
"She was screaming for help, and nobody was helping her," Sams said, describing the anguish her family has felt since the killing. "There's no words that can explain how we feel right now. We are all lost, confused, angry and scared. It is just too much. Why was there no security? Why is nobody trying to prevent this from happening?"
Investigators say that after the attack, Matthews threw Swan's body to the floor and stood over her as the train arrived at Oakland City Station. Police moved in quickly and arrested him on the platform, where authorities say he was still holding a knife.
Officials have not yet said where security personnel or police officers were located when the attack unfolded, and investigators have not disclosed a motive. It also remains unclear whether any passengers attempted to intervene.
MARTA says nearly 300 officers are assigned throughout the transit system to help protect riders. The agency has also said security efforts are expected to increase ahead of the FIFA World Cup, when Atlanta is expected to welcome large numbers of visitors.
Family devastated
For Swan's loved ones, the arrest brought little comfort. Her ex-husband, Jerry Swan, said he was devastated when their daughter called to tell him what had happened.
"I was happy they caught him, but in my mind the thought was why did he do that to such a nice person," he said. He also called his ex a caring grandmother who was on her way to look after one of her grandchildren when she was killed.
