Man Attacks Court Officers with Knife During Manhattan Court Session

A man with a knife who attacked and wounded two court officers in Manhattan’s Criminal Court has a history of provoking law enforcement. The incident occurred during a court session, where he approached officers with threatening behavior and then suddenly lunged with a knife, narrowly missing one officer’s carotid artery.

The suspect, identified as Jonathan Wohl, was captured on security footage aggressively stabbing the officers, leading to their hospitalization. Wohl had no official reason to be at court that day but was found carrying notes with radical phrases while shouting about the justice system and police conduct. He is currently held at Rikers Island facing charges of assault and attempted murder.

Wohl has a longstanding record of complaints against police and court officials. Authorities reported that he filed over seven grievances with the Civilian Complaint Review Board, accusing officers of excessive force, obstruction, and refusal to provide medical care. Most complaints were found unsubstantiated, and he was not considered a victim in those cases.

In court, prosecutors disclosed that Wohl was carrying papers stating “Give me liberty or give me death” and was behaving erratically, shouting about systemic issues. Court officers familiar with Wohl warned their colleagues inside the building about his arrival that morning, but he managed to breach security before launching his attack.

During the assault, Wohl opened fire with his knife, injuring a first officer in the face and slashing another across the neck in a series of aggressive stabbing motions. Both officers sustained serious injuries but are now recovering at home.