The Maksim Gelman Stabbing Spree: A Chilling Rampage Across New York City

The Rampage Unfolds

In the early hours of February 11, 2011, New York City became the backdrop for a horrifying 28-hour spree that left four people dead and five injured. The chaos began just after 5:00 a.m. when Maksim Gelman brutally stabbed his stepfather, Aleksandr Kuznetsov, in their Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn home. An argument about borrowing Kuznetsov's gray 2004 Lexus ES330 had spiraled out of control. Gelman, convinced DEA agents were after him, planned to flee to the Dominican Republic and demanded to know the whereabouts of his passport. His mother, suspecting he was drunk, refused to divulge the information, awakening Kuznetsov with their heated exchange. As Kuznetsov entered the kitchen, cursing in Russian, Gelman grabbed an 8-inch chef's knife. When the knife broke, he continued his frenzied attack with a carving fork, ultimately stabbing Kuznetsov 55 times. Gelman's mother, however, remained unharmed physically.

Seizing the Lexus, Gelman sped away, striking a crossing guard and breaking her leg. His next target was the Bulchenko household, where he killed Anna Bulchenko, the mother of Yelena Bulchenko, at 10:30 a.m. He lingered near the scene, awaiting Yelena's return. When she arrived and discovered her mother's body, she dialed 9-1-1, but Gelman, already en route back to the house, intercepted her. At approximately 4:00 p.m., he spotted Yelena outside, on the phone. Despite her cries and attempts to flee, Gelman caught up and stabbed her eleven times, ending her life.

A Trail of Violence

Gelman's rampage continued as he commandeered Kuznetsov's car, crashing it into another vehicle. When the driver, Arthur DiCrescento, confronted him, Gelman stabbed him three times and stole his car. His path of destruction didn't end there. He ran over 62-year-old pedestrian Stephen Tanenbaum, who later succumbed to his injuries.

Abandoning DiCrescento's car before 1:00 a.m. on February 12, Gelman hailed a livery cab and stabbed the driver, Fitz Fullerton. He then approached another vehicle, attacking driver Shelden Pottinger and stabbing him multiple times in the hand before stealing his car. Gelman finally boarded a northbound 3 train at 34th Street - Penn Station just after 8:00 a.m. Here, he attacked Joseph Lozito, a ticket seller at Lincoln Center. Passengers, recognizing Gelman from a newspaper article, alerted authorities.

A Dramatic Confrontation

Gelman's violent spree came to a halt aboard the train. He banged on the motorman's cab door, claiming to be a police officer. When denied entry, he lunged at Lozito, stabbing him in the head and face. In a courageous act of self-defense, Lozito fought back, ultimately tackling Gelman to the ground. Only then did two NYPD officers emerge from the conductor's booth to arrest Gelman.

The officers, Terrance Howell and Tamara Taylor, had reportedly stayed hidden, fearing Gelman had a gun. Lozito, feeling abandoned during the attack, later attempted to sue the police for their inaction. However, his case was dismissed in July 2013, with Judge Margaret Chan ruling that the police had no specific duty to protect Lozito.

The Man Behind the Madness

Born on May 31, 1987, in Ukraine, Maksim Gelman, also known as "Mad Max" or the "Butcher of Brighton Beach," had a troubled past. He emigrated to the United States in 1994 with his mother, joining his father who had moved there earlier. Gelman's subsequent interactions with law enforcement were frequent, often related to graffiti offenses, and he was known for dealing drugs like cocaine and PCP. Despite his criminal record, Gelman became a U.S. citizen in 2005.

Gelman's mental instability and paranoia were exacerbated by social isolation during his school years. He attended James Madison High School, later transferring to Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn. His reputation as an unpopular skateboarder left him without many friends, further fueling his antisocial tendencies.

The Victims

The tragedy of Gelman's spree is underscored by the lives lost and those forever altered. The fatalities included his stepfather Aleksandr Kuznetsov, 54, Anna Bulchenko, 56, Yelena Bulchenko, 20, and Stephen Tanenbaum, 62. Among the injured were Arthur DiCrescento, a crossing guard, Fitz Fullerton, Shelden Pottinger, and Joseph Lozito.

The Legal Aftermath

On February 13, 2011, Gelman faced arraignment in a Brooklyn courtroom on charges of murder and assault, with public defender Michael Baum representing him. Despite being in custody, Gelman showed no remorse, insisting he was "set up." Media speculation suggested that his killing spree might have been triggered by a romantic rejection from Yelena Bulchenko.

In November 2011, Gelman pleaded guilty to all charges. His sentencing took place on January 18, 2012, in the New York Supreme Court, Kings County. The courtroom witnessed Gelman's defiant behavior as he laughed and yelled at the judge and victims' families. Justice Vincent Del Giudice handed down a 200-year prison sentence, denouncing Gelman as a "violent sociopath."

Joseph Lozito's Struggle for Justice

Joseph Lozito's battle didn't end on the train. In 2012, he filed a lawsuit against the NYPD for negligence, alleging that officers had failed to protect him during the attack. The case highlighted the broader issue of police accountability, but ultimately, Judge Chan dismissed the suit, citing the lack of a "special duty" to protect Lozito.

Lozito's ordeal and subsequent quest for justice drew public attention. He shared his story in various media outlets, including an article on Cracked.com and an episode of the Radiolab podcast titled "No Special Duty."

Sources

For more detailed information on the Maksim Gelman stabbing spree, visit the original Wikipedia article.