Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the indictment of ESTEBAN ESONOASUE, a/k/a “Steven Hutcherson,” 36, for attacking a woman with a fork and stabbing two teenage girls in unprovoked attacks in Grand Central Terminal on Christmas Day. ESONOASUE is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with one count each of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Assault in the First Degree, Attempted Assault in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree and Attempted Assault in the Second Degree. He is also charged with two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. [1]

“As alleged, Esteban Esonoasue viciously attacked three strangers at Grand Central Terminal, one of our city’s most-visited and beloved landmarks,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Two teenage tourists were seriously injured while enjoying their holiday trip to New York with their family, and a woman was attacked in the neck with a fork. We don’t tolerate violence in our transit hubs and I wish the victims a speedy recovery.”  

According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, on December 25, 2023, ESONOASUE was sitting at a table in the Tartinery Café at Grand Central Terminal. At approximately 11:25 a.m., he picked up a fork from the dining table and scratched a woman’s neck.  

ESONOASUE then took out a knife that was in his possession and approached a table across from him where two teenage girls were sitting with their family. He stabbed the 16-year-old in the back, deeply puncturing her and injuring her lung and diaphragm. He also stabbed the 14-year-old’s leg as she was trying to escape.   

Finally, ESONOASUE dropped the knife and surrendered to police officers.  

Assistant D.A.s Robert Ferrari (Chief of Trial Bureau 40) and Andrew Kim (Trial Bureau 40) are handling the prosecution of this case, under the supervision of Executive D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). Paralegals Emory DeRosa (TB 40) and Eric Risch (TB 40), and Senior Hate Crimes Investigative Analyst Julie Ann Doren Lim have all been providing valuable assistance in this case.

D.A. Bragg thanked the MTA Police, especially Lieutenant Mike Burns, Detective Chelsea Christonikos, Detective Anthony Figueroa and Officer Main Kong Koo.  

 

Defendant Information:

ESTEBAN ESONOASUE, a/k/a “Steven Hutcherson”
New York, NY

Charged:

• Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, a class B felony, one count
• Assault in the First Degree, a class B felony, one count
• Attempted Assault in the First Degree, a class C felony, one count
• Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count
• Attempted Assault in the Second Degree, a class E felony, one count
• Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a class A misdemeanor, two counts

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[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.