Police say a one-man rampage in lower Manhattan left 10 people injured began inside a subway station in Tribeca.

“He then came up to me, said some very vulgar words and started attacking, just very quickly," Jamila Baptiste, a subway station agent, told NY1.

What You Need To Know

  • Jamila Baptiste, a subway station agent, was one of 10 victims of a man who attacked and carjacked people with a piece of wood

  • Eight subway and bus workers were assaulted in the last five weeks

  • Bryan Thompson, of Atlantic City, New Jersey, was arrested and charged with the assaults

Authorities allege Bryan Thompson of Atlantic City, New Jersey, used a piece of wood, possibly part of a Christmas tree trunk, in the attacks, which began at 6:35 p.m. Saturday.

The first three victims were struck inside the Canal Street Station on the 1 line.

Police say Baptiste was victim number four, and was attacked near a staircase as she returned from a lunch break.

Her head wound required seven staples to close.

“It was so fast I had no way to react, no way to protect myself or defend myself," Baptiste said. "Luckily, I got away, and a passerby helped me get an ambulance.”

Thompson allegedly stormed off, beat an Uber driver bloody to steal his SUV, crashed the vehicle, terrorized passers by and then carjacked a jeep.

He was Tased and arrested after crashing that vehicle. 

Baptiste says the mayhem might have been prevented had there been more police in the subway.

"I believe if there's some sort of police presence there, this would not have happened. At least early intervention could have happened," she said. "I don't believe my injuries would be so severe."

Eight subway and bus workers were assaulted in the past five weeks.

"I don't think this city is putting protection on our workers and certainly not the ridership," Robert Kelley, who reps station workers at the Transport Workers Union Local 100.

Since the pandemic began, crime in the transit system has fallen as ridership has plunged. But the decline in violent crime has not been as pronounced.

There were 321 felony assaults in the transit system in the first 11 months of last year — just 15 fewer than in the same period in 2019.  

The numbers of murders and robberies have actually increased.

In a statement, the MTA said officials want more NYPD officers in the subway and buses.

A judge ordered Thompson held while he undergoes a psychiatric evaluation.

As for Baptiste, she is not sure when she will be back on the job.

"I believe safety has plummeted," Baptiste said. "I don't feel safe coming to work, leaving to go home."