The BART Police Department has released images of the man they believe to be responsible for the stabbing that killed 18-year-old Nia Wilson and wounded her sister at the MacArthur Station on Sunday night.
The suspect has been identified as 27-year-old John Lee Cowell.
Murder suspect identified in MacArthur stabbing. John Cowell is considered dangerous. Please call 911 if spotted. RIP Nia Wilson. We will bring this suspect to justice. Our thoughts are with the family and friends. Details: https://t.co/DEkTJvJnNe pic.twitter.com/igZU2bdel7
— BART (@SFBART) July 23, 2018
via Breaking 911:
BART police officers were already at MacArthur Station when the incident occurred at approximately 9:36 pm and were flagged down about a male suspect on the platform with a knife. Officers arrived on the platform and found two women suffering from stab wounds. Officers immediately began rendering aid to the victims until paramedics arrived. Nia Wilson succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her sister was taken to a nearby hospital.
It appears both the suspect and victims boarded a BART train at Concord Station at the same time and then off boarded at MacArthur. BART detectives have carefully reviewed video from surveillance cameras on the train the victims and suspect were riding on as well as platform video at MacArthur Station. Police say the ‘random attack’ happened on the MacArthur platform. BART detectives are sharing images from the surveillance videos with other law enforcement agencies as well as the public. Investigators also recovered valuable evidence at the scene of the crime.
All of that has helped BART Police to identify the suspect as 27-year-old John Lee Cowell. Cowell is Caucasian, stands 5’ 8”, and weighs 190 pounds. Cowell has short, dark hair as well as a closely cropped beard and mustache. Cowell should be considered dangerous and anyone who sees him should immediately call 9-1-1.
Our prayers go out to Nia Wilson’s family.
