March 15, 2022
Thom Carroll/For PhillyVoice
Philadelphia police arrested Gary Cabana, 60, early Tuesday morning. He had been wanted for allegedly stabbing two employees at New York City's Museum of Modern Art.
The man accused of stabbing two employees at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City on Saturday was taken into custody early Tuesday morning in Philadelphia.
Gary Cabana, 60, was arrested at the Greyhound bus station in Center City at 1:30 a.m. after allegedly setting a room on fire at the nearby Best Western Hotel at 1225 Vine St., NBC10 reported.
Philly police and firefighters responded to the fire at 6 p.m. Monday. The blaze, which occurred on the fifth floor, left extensive damage to the room, 6ABC reported. No injuries were reported.
Investigators determined that the man who checked into the hotel room matched the description of the suspect New York City police wanted in connection to the stabbings at MoMA.
Authorities in New York City told Philly police that Cabana frequented bus and train stations. Cabana was later found sleeping on a bench at the Greyhound bus terminal at 10th and Filbert streets, police said.
In New York, Cabana allegedly stabbed two MoMA workers in the museum's lobby on Saturday afternoon. His membership had been suspended for multiple incidents of misbehavior, and a letter informing Cabana of his membership change had been sent out Friday.
Cabana came to the museum with the intention of seeing a film, police said. After he was denied entry, Cabana allegedly became upset and jumped onto the museum's reception desk, cornering three employees who were standing behind the counter.
Security footage released by police showed a man jumping over the desk and stabbing two employees in the back, collarbone and neck. The third employee could be seen holding a walkie-talkie and throwing items at the man in an attempt to stop him. The man – identified by police as Cabana – could be seen wearing a black jacket, black wool hat and a blue surgical mask.
The woman and man who were stabbed are each 24 years old, police said. Their names have not been released. They were taken to a hospital and are expected to make full recoveries.
NYC: Do you know him? Earlier today, inside the @MuseumModernArt he stabbed a 24-year-old male employee and a 24-year-old female employee then fled. Both victims are in stable condition at an area hospital. If you have any information, contact @NYPDTips at 800-577-TIPS. pic.twitter.com/hkEezq6rQk
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) March 13, 2022
Police said Cabana had taken to social media in recent days denying that he had acted improperly at the museum before losing his membership. His posts also sought to minimize the alleged attack and accused MoMA staff of framing him, police said.
Cabana had no record of previous arrests, police said. The charges Cabana could face have not been made known yet.
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