Man Recounts Heroic Subway Fight Against Killer 15 Years Later

The Encounter on the Subway

• 🗓️ On a Saturday morning in February, nearly 15 years ago, Joe Lozito was on his way to work when he encountered a man on the run after committing multiple murders.
• 🚆 Lozito boarded an uptown subway train where two uniformed police officers were present but stayed in the motorman's compartment.
• 🔪 A man in civilian clothes, later identified as "Mad" Max Gelman, boarded the train and began banging on the motorman's door, claiming to be a police officer.

The Violent Confrontation

• 💥 Unprovoked, Gelman attacked Lozito, stabbing him in the face and body with an 8-inch knife.
• 💪 Lozito tackled Gelman, leading to a struggle where Lozito sustained multiple stab wounds to his face, head, arm, and hand.
• 👥 While some passengers fled or watched, a construction worker named Alfred Douglas came to Lozito's aid, applying pressure to his deepest wound.
• 🩸 The train stopped between stations, and Lozito, bleeding heavily, feared he would die, thinking of his family.

Aftermath and Legal Battle

• 🚑 Lozito eventually received medical attention and was taken to 42nd Street, where paramedics attended to him.
• 📰 Lozito learned that Gelman was responsible for several murders, including his stepfather, a woman he was obsessed with, her mother, and a pedestrian.
• ⚖️ Despite his actions in subduing the killer, Lozito sued the city of New York, claiming the police officers on the train did not protect him.
• 🏛️ In 2013, a judge dismissed Lozito's lawsuit, stating the police had "no special duty" to protect him and that no direct promises of protection were made.

Reflections and Legacy

• 📖 Lozito, who wrote a book about his experience, remains humble and does not consider himself a hero, viewing his survival as a gift.
• 🙏 He expresses gratitude for his family and for the opportunity to inspire others.
• 🗣️ "Mad" Max Gelman was sentenced to 200 years to life in prison for his crimes.