A stabbing stops train in New Mexico, raising passengers’ questions

By John Cardinale

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — It’s not every day New Mexico State Police respond to a moving crime scene.

“Hello, folks. So, unfortunately, right now, this is a crime scene,” said a New Mexico State Police officer in a body cam video Target 7 obtained.

It’s also not every day someone on an Amtrak train would see a stabbing.

“The guy got stabbed in the head. Got whacked in the head. Bleeding everywhere. I have videos of the blood,” Jordy Gonzalez, a passenger on the train, said.

On Sept. 18, Gonzalez was heading from Los Angeles back home to Chicago on that train before it had to make an emergency stop in Valencia County following the stabbing.

“It’s pretty crazy. I mean. Just not much you can say about it,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez and other passengers were left in shock. But body camera video Target 7 obtained in an IPRA request showed those working on the train were not shocked at all.

“I’ve been in incidents like this before,” said a worker on the train to an investigator.

Witnesses told police the stabbing was sparked because one passenger started shouting.

“This guy screams, hey, what are you doing? He has a gun,” Gonzalez said.

However, no gun was ever found on the train.

Gerald Bell is the man accused of stabbing the passenger. He faces charges of attempting first-degree murder.

Target 7 investigated his criminal past and discovered he has a lengthy criminal history, including felony drug possession from California in 2005, transportation or sale of narcotics in 2007, and felon in possession of a firearm.

Bell told investigators he stabbed the other passenger with a knife, but those who saw the incident did not describe the weapon as a knife.

“It’s a big blade. Had to be a machete,” a passenger told an investigator.

Target 7 received drawings done by passengers showing what the weapon looked like but never received a picture of the actual weapon.

It’s unclear if the police ever found it.

The man stabbed was Charles Cowley, and during interviews with state police staff on the train, he recalled his injuries.

“I saw that he had like a 6-to-8-inch gash across his face, and it was like maybe a half an inch deep,” a worker on the train said.

Train staff say while they were helping Cowley, he made a request asking for his bag.

“The conductor went to reach for his bag, and immediately, as soon as he touched it, he said, No, we’re not moving this,” a worker told an investigator.

According to state police, in that bag was nearly 20 pounds of meth.

Cowley was initially charged with trafficking controlled substances, but those charges were dropped without prejudice.

It’s not the first time Cowley has been in trouble with the law.

Target 7 found last year he was charged with trafficking meth in Illinois, and his trial was set for Nov. 6 of this year.

State police say at the time of the stabbing, in Cowley’s possession was his brother’s ID, the same name on the ticket he bought to get onto the Amtrak train.

Those who saw the incident are asking questions.

“I mean, stuff like this is it doesn’t happen every day, let alone on a train where you’re supposed to feel safe. They’re supposed to have protocols for these types of things. Metal detectors, pat downs, screenings. Ridiculous. Ridiculous,” Gonzalez said.

So, what screening do Amtrak trains have before you board?

It turns out there is little. So, what’s being done to address it? And why some lawmakers are now getting involved.

Those questions will be answered this Thursday at 6 p.m. in part two of “Off the Rail Security.”

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