Man wanted in stabbing at New York’s MoMA arrested in Philly

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Police early Tuesday arrested a man at a Philadelphia bus terminal who is wanted in the stabbing of two employees inside the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Officers found Gary Cabana, 60, sleeping on a bench. He was arrested without incident, police said. Philadelphia police said they were searching for him in connection with a fire that was set at a nearby hotel in the city on Monday.

New York City police said Cabana was caught on video leaping over a reception desk and stabbing two employees inside the Museum of Modern Art on Saturday after he was denied entrance. The museum workers, a 24-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, were stabbed multiple times and were stable with non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspect's membership was revoked for two separate incidents of disorderly behavior at the museum in recent days, NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence & Counterterrorism John Miller said.

A letter informing the man of his expired membership was sent out on Friday, Miller said, and he showed up at the museum Saturday saying he intended to see a film that was playing.

“He became upset about not being allowed entrance, and then jumped over the reception desk and proceeded to attack and stab two employees of the museum multiple times,” Miller said.

The museum evacuated patrons after the attack and closed. It reopened Tuesday.

“We’re relieved and grateful that our colleagues are recovering, and the attacker was arrested,” the museum said in a statement Tuesday morning.

MoMA, founded in 1929, is one of New York City’s top tourist attractions, drawing more than 700,000 visitors in 2020. Its collection of modern art includes “The Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh and works by Henri Matisse and Paul Gauguin.