A conversation about the Bible on public transit in Austin, Texas, sent one man into a stabbing spree. Rogerio Martinez, 54, was arrested ...
A conversation about the Bible on public transit in Austin, Texas, sent one man into a stabbing spree.
Rogerio Martinez, 54, was arrested on March 13 for the alleged attack.
A woman and her friend had reportedly been discussing the Bible on the No. 3 bus, which prompted Martinez to say “I’m tired of hearing your voice,” per a report from KEYE-TV.
He lunged at the woman’s friend with a kitchen knife he had been carrying.
An affidavit regarding the incident said that surveillance video captured Martinez stabbing a man in the back.
He then pulled out the knife and stabbed him thrice more, with the victim raising his hands in self-defense.
Another passenger pushed Martinez away, leading Martinez to allegedly stab him in the right leg.
Both victims survived, but the first victim was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center in critical condition.
Austin City Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes reacted to the incident by saying that safety improvements need to be made.
“And I will be working with our leaders of CapMetro, our transit authority to see where else we might be helpful,” she said, per KEYE.
CapMetro, the public transit agency for Austin, remarked in a statement that “since the launch of the CapMetro Transit Police Department in June 2025, the department has averaged about two calls for service for every 10,000 customers across the system.”
“About 67% of those calls are proactive, meaning officers are initiating activity through patrols, safety checks, and engagement with riders and staff to help promote safety and security,” the statement added.
Aidan Hearn, the fellow passenger who intervened and was stabbed in the leg, said in an interview with KXAN that he saw “somebody that was in pain and distress and there was no other decision to be made.”
“I looked up and I saw the man attacking the first victim,” Hearn said, per the outlet.
“The attacker and I struggled for maybe a minute, might have been two,” Hearn continued. “I end up kicking him in the chest to make sure he stays in the seat he was in, so he could not get up and pursue the guy, which is when he decided to lash out with the knife.”
Hearn is visually impaired, and in addition to the stab wounds in his leg, he sustained deep cuts on his hand.
“I went into shock for a little bit, but she was able to hold me and calm me and tell me everything is going to be okay,” Hearn continued.
“An incredibly kind gentleman helped me take my belt off and applied a tourniquet to my leg, which with a little bit of hindsight probably saved it.”
Martinez has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, per KEYE.
He was booked into the Travis County Correctional Complex, and he faces a cumulative $200,000 bond.
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