Homeless man in fatal stabbing of NYC dad was released without bail in subway slashing case

The homeless man accused of stabbing a dad of two to death on a Brooklyn L train last week was out without bail in another subway altercation from last year at the time of the fatal slashing, according to law enforcement sources and court records.

Alvin Charles, 43, was arrested Wednesday and charged with murder for allegedly knifing Tommy Bailey, also 43, to death near the Atlantic Avenue subway station in East New York just before 9 p.m. Friday, police said.

Charles had previously been arrested in July 2021 for allegedly stabbing a straphanger on an A train in Brooklyn in April of that year, the records show.

Brooklyn prosecutors had asked that Charles be held on $50,000 bail in that case, but Judge Jessica G. Earle-Gargan ordered that he be freed on supervised release. He was set to reappear in court in that case later this month. 

Alvin Charles, 43 – busted in connection to the deadly stabbing of Tommy Bailey on a Brooklyn train – was previously arrested last year on an attempted murder charge, records show.
Alvin Charles, 43 — busted in connection to the deadly stabbing of Tommy Bailey on a Brooklyn train — was arrested last year on an attempted murder charge, records show.
Gregory P. Mango

Charles faces charges of assault, attempted assault, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon over the incident. The top count was upgraded to attempted murder when he was indicted in the case, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.

He was accused of hurling a can of soda at the victim in that case before pulling out a knife and stabbing the man in the abdomen and upper left arm, police sources said.

“He threw a Sprite can at him and eventually ended up stabbing him,” one cop said.

Charles was arrested Wednesday in connection to the fatal subway stabbing.
Charles was arrested Wednesday in connection to the fatal subway stabbing.
Gregory P. Mango

In the Friday incident, the two men had gotten into an argument on a southbound L train when Charles allegedly drew a knife and stabbed Bailey in the neck before fleeing, according to the NYPD.

Bailey, a steamfitter, was pronounced dead at Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center. 

Family and friends remembered Bailey, who had a son and daughter, as a hard-working father and a “Canarsie legend” for his athletic prowess.

In a GoFundMe page created to benefit Bailey’s children, the fundraiser’s organizer described a time Bailey came to the rescue of a young girl who was being beaten up on the L train.

Bailey, who had a son and daughter, was a seamstress and known as a "Canarsie legend" for his athletic prowess.
Bailey, who had a son and daughter, was a steamfitter and known as a “Canarsie legend” for his athletic prowess.
GoFundMe

“In the past, Tommy was praised for being a hero on the same subway system when he came to the aid of a young girl who was being savagely attacked by a gang of vicious girls,” Bill Abbate Jr. wrote on the GoFundMe page. “He put himself in harm’s way to protect this young lady.”

It’s unclear what led up to Friday’s deadly dispute, but Abbate wondered if Bailey had been standing up for someone that time as well.

“Only time will tell if he was acting again as a hero [Friday] evening and it may have unfortunately cost him his life,” he wrote.

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