As hundreds of thousands of FIFA World Cup visitors are set to pour into Atlanta next week, the federal government is investigating the city’s public transit system after two recent stabbing incidents, including a horrific, unprovoked attack on a 66-year-old woman who was stabbed to death on a train.
Margaret Swan, a retired day care worker and great-grandmother who relied on Atlanta’s MARTA system to get around town, was on her way home aboard a train near the Oakland City station downtown on May 30 when John Elijah Matthews, a 25-year-old man unknown to her, stood next to her for a few moments, then took out a pocket knife and slashed her throat. He then viciously stabbed Swan 18 more times in the neck and chest as she screamed and tried to get away, according to the arrest warrant, 11Alive reported.
Terrified passengers were seen on CCTV huddling on the other side of the train as Matthews threw Swan to the floor and then calmly stood near her until the train arrived at the station, where he got off and was promptly arrested by MARTA police. Swan was pronounced dead at the scene.
Matthews was charged with murder by Fulton County and with a federal charge of committing an act of violence causing death at a mass transportation station by the U.S. District Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. Federal prosecutors said they may seek the death penalty against him.
Family Says Great-Grandmother’s Death Was Preventable
Swan’s daughter, Shanae Sams, is raising questions about safety and security across Atlanta’s transit system and is calling for a stronger police presence on trains.
“If the police were on the train, this wouldn’t have happened,” she said. “It shouldn’t be certain stations that have the police patrolling. It should be that all stations have the police patrolling.”
MARTA called the killing a senseless act of violence and said its thoughts were with Swan’s loved ones and others who witnessed the attack (whom Sams also faults for standing by and not intervening).
On May 24, a 40-year-old man was stabbed several times on the platform at MARTA’s Georgia State University station, after an apparent altercation with another man, who escaped. The victim was taken to the hospital in stable condition, Atlanta News First reported.
On Thursday, Trump Administration officials stepped in to launch an investigation of MARTA’s security and safety procedures and operations.
Trump Administration Steps In as Federal Investigators Demand Answers
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy told the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to open a probe into the transit system’s security spending, safety protocols and risks to riders and employees, giving MARTA 15 days to supply the information requested, including data on crime suppression and fare evasion enforcement.
“Every American should be disturbed by the horrific crimes we have seen on MARTA in the last month. No one should be forced to fear for their safety simply because they choose to ride public transit,” Duffy said in a statement.
“From our nation’s capital to Chicago, we’ve made substantial progress in holding systems accountable and enhancing security for transit workers and riders. President Trump has made it clear that American families deserve better, and that’s what we are going to deliver in Georgia too.”
The FTA said the rate of “personal security events” on MARTA employees and passengers, which includes assaults, robberies, attacks, and other safety breaches, is twice the national average for transit systems.
MARTA Pushes Back, Points to Falling Crime Numbers Across Transit System
But MARTA officials say crime across its system has been down, decreasing by 26% between 2024 and 2025, and by 50% since 2019.
MARTA, which is an independent regional public authority largely funded by local county sales taxes, fare revenues and grants from federal agencies, including the Department of Transportation, said in a statement Thursday that it would have no problem with federal officials looking into its operations.
“We welcome the opportunity to share with federal officials the hard work that the MARTA team puts in every day as well as the significant investments in personnel, technology, and operational measures that MARTA has in place to support safety and security across our entire system,” the transit agency said.
MARTA interim General Manager Jonathan Hunt and MARTA Police Chief Scott Kreher told Fox5 their safety plan for the World Cup includes 12,000 security cameras, extra uniformed and undercover officers and real-time monitoring from the crime center.
There will also be increased MARTA staffing to help manage large crowds on the train platforms, and expansion of the MARTA Hope program, which helps riders experiencing mental health crises, substance abuse, or homelessness.
Daughter Blasts Transit Agency Priorities
Swan’s family argues her death was preventable. Sams, her daughter, is calling for MARTA police officers to ride the trains instead of just patrolling the stations.
“People are more worried about the World Cup,” she told Atlanta News First. “But what happens before the World Cup? What happens after the World Cup?” she said. “What if the World Cup wasn’t coming here? There’s no protection for these women at all, and it’s sad.”
On Tuesday, MARTA’s Kreher said putting on an officer on every train is not a feasible option with its current staffing levels. MARTA said it has 280 officers to help protect riders.
“If we had an officer on every train, maybe that [the stabbing] wouldn’t have happened Saturday. But is that logistically possible? No. I don’t have 300 officers every shift to put on every single train car,” Kreher said in an interview with ANF.
“If a violent individual wants to commit a violent act, I don’t think any amount of security is going to stop him,” Kreher said.
Kreher said MARTA is dedicated to putting one officer on board every train when its new trains go into revenue service. The new CQ400 trains have open gangways, allowing one officer to see down the entire train.
Earlier this week, MARTA announced the delay of the launch of its new trains, saying that they were still undergoing testing and would not be ready for service by Thursday, when the first was scheduled to go online.
Broken Gates, Fare Evasion and a Fatal Shooting Fuel Growing Concerns
The agency is also installing new gates meant to help address fare evasion and which will make it easier for riders to pay using debit or credit cards or their phones, but they are not ready yet, either, the AJC reported. MARTA is replacing glass panes on some of the new gates as they have been shattering.
A bus driver was shot and killed last year after a dispute over the $2.50 train fare. Many of the agency’s old fare gates were broken, allowing riders to walk into train stations without paying. Matthews did so on the day he attacked Swan, Kreher said.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has not publicly addressed Swan’s death or the federal probe of MARTA.
APD Public Affairs Director Chata M. Spikes told Atlanta Black Star in an email that, since the MARTA incident involving Swan “falls outside the Atlanta Police Department’s jurisdiction … it would be inappropriate for us to comment on investigations that are not being handled by APD or don’t involve the APD.”
Amid growing concerns about the string of random transit attacks ahead of the city hosting the World Cup, his administration has pointed to data from the Atlanta Police Department showing that overall homicides in the city have dropped by 43% since 2022, and that crime overall fell 7% from 2024 to 2025.
Atlanta Officials Insist City Is Ready for World Cup Despite Mounting Fears
Regarding Atlanta’s readiness to host FIFA World Cup events, Spikes said, “Our city has long experience managing major conventions, festivals, and sporting events that draw significant crowds. The APD is well‑versed in large‑scale operational planning and collaborates regularly with local, state, and federal partners to ensure public safety.”
“We send our condolences to the victims and their families affected by these recent crimes,” the statement continued, in part. “Unfortunately, random acts of violence are, by nature, unpredictable. We continue to emphasize the importance of situational awareness—being mindful of your surroundings and reporting any suspicious behavior immediately.”
At a press conference on May 26, previewing APD’s preparations for the World Cup, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said an additional 250 officers from across the state will be coming to the capital to assist in security operations for the tournament, on top of the 1,840 sworn officers on the Atlanta Police force, most of whom will continue to patrol the city’s 245 neighborhoods.
APD will be operating along with other local, state and federal partners from a joint operations center downtown during the World Cup, with up to 750 APD officers assigned to a special FIFA detail at a time, some working 10- to 12-hour shifts during times of peak demand, including on eight game days and during large fanfest events, Schierbaum said.
During a press conference on May 28, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Atlanta Office said it will be beefing up its presence during the month-long tournament, when FBI SWAT teams would “maintain a high level of visibility” around the Mercedes-Benz stadium, Centennial Olympic Park, and other downtown venues.
