A drugged-up maniac who allegedly went on a bloody stabbing rampage at Penn Station — leaving five innocent bystanders wounded — is believed to be homeless and has a rap sheet streaked with violence, law-enforcement sources told The Post.
The suspect, identified by sources as Hector Deleon, 51, allegedly unleashed the unprovoked attack around 7 p.m. Sunday inside the New Jersey Transit boarding area, filling the station with the blood-curdling screams of the victims as crowds of terrified commuters ran for their lives.
Amtrak police quickly nabbed Deleon, who appeared to be high on still-unknown drugs, sources said.
The victims, all men ranging in age from 30 to 60, were believed to be innocent bystanders attacked by the deranged perp after he brandished a knife at them, according to the sources.
The grisly attacks came less than 24 hours before President Trump is expected to arrive at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the Knicks’ historic NBA Finals appearance against the San Antonio Spurs.
What charges Deleon could face remained to be seen as of Monday afternoon as he remained in a local hospital for evaluation before Amtrak police processed his arrest, sources said.
His lengthy criminal record shows that he’s no stranger to violence or drugs, with at least seven arrests going back to at least 2008, according to sources.
His arrests include busts for aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, use or possession of drugs, assault, domestic assault and criminal mischief.
Before the horrific Penn Station attack, Deleon’s most recent arrest unfolded in New Jersey during May on theft and possession of drug paraphernalia charges, court records show.
He stood accused of stealing $4 in coins from a tip jar inside a Dunkin Donuts in Long Branch and possessing a “clear glass pipe with a burnt brown color,” the records show.
Court records show that Deleon faced an attempted aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge in February 2022. He pleaded guilty in that Essex County, New Jersey, case and received two years of probation, the records show.
By June 2025, Deleon again popped up in Essex County criminal court on simple assault and criminal mischief charges, records show.
The case appears to have been sent back to the Newark municipal court that September.
Six of Deleon’s arrest unfolded in New Jersey, starting with the 2022 aggravated assault case, sources said.
He was popped for possession of drugs in Manhattan during 2008, the sources said.
Straphangers told The Post Monday they were disturbed by the attack, which left splatters of blood on the floor of the boarding area.
Emma, 30, a dental hygienist who was outside Penn Station with her 7-year-old son, Leonardo, said the incident gives her pause about riding the rails.
“Wow, I mean, I guess I’m not surprised, though. I mean, Penn Station is not known for being the most safe area, especially in the evening, especially with just how busy it’s been recently with the Knicks game, the Trump coming,” said Sanai Rashid, 21.
“It’s been a bit of a messy summer in general. I think crime does go up as well, but I do think there probably should be more security in Penn Station, but that’s devastating.”
Marina Berger, 21, an advertising intern from New Jersey, said the incident frightens her, particularly as a solo female traveler.
“It’s definitely very upsetting to hear, especially as like a young woman who’s just recently going to have to commute to the city pretty often, and I definitely think there should be better security measures put in place.”
“It freaks you out, it makes you wonder if you should even be using the subway with your kids, especially because, I mean, there’s always creepy people in the subway, but you never really think that you’re gonna be there during the time that something like that happens,” she said.
– Additional reporting by Kevin Sheehan and Xavier Serrano
