Federal government launches investigation into MARTA following 2 stabbings - Atlanta News First
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The federal government plans to launch an investigation into MARTA after two stabbings — one of which was deadly — broke out on the transportation system in the span of a week. On Thursday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy told the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to open the inquiry into MARTA’s security spending, safety protocols and risks to riders and employees. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: MARTA leaders address safety concerns following deadly stabbing “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.” MORE COVERAGE: Politics, public safety collide as feds investigate MARTA security MARTA 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. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Lt. Gov. Jones advocates placing state troopers on MARTA after fatal stabbing The investigation comes as Atlanta prepares to welcome hundreds of thousands of people to the city for the World Cup. Eight matches will be hosted at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and most fans are expected to take public transportation to get there. Earlier this week, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is facing billionaire health care executive Rick Jackson in a June 16 runoff for the Republican nomination for governor, advocated for placing Georgia state troopers on MARTA trains during the World Cup “to ensure safety.” Immediately after the FTA’s announcement, both the Jones and Jackson campaigns issued statements of support for the investigation. “We’re grateful for our federal partners in the Trump Administration for taking these heinous crimes seriously and for partnering with us in our ongoing efforts to keep Georgians safe,” Jones said on social media. Jackson also posted an item on X, saying, “President Trump is serious about keeping Georgians and Americans safe — and unlike Keisha Lance Bottoms, I’ll work with his administration to do so.” Either Jackson or Jones will face Bottoms in the November general election that will choose Georgia’s 83rd governor. Bottoms also released a statement saying she was “heartbroken” to learn of the “senseless” death of Margaret Swan and adding that if she were elected, she would “support funding from the state government to recruit, train, and retain more MARTA officers to help keep people safe. I will also work with local and federal leaders on any responsible and reasonable efforts to increase resources for safety on our public transit systems.” Not everybody is happy about the investigation. Play Fair ATL, a watchdog coalition of more than 40 local organizations formed to address the World Cup, said the effort is only “for cheap political points.” “Serious incidents on transit should be taken seriously, but they should not be used as a justification for policies that criminalize poverty, homelessness, mental illness, or low-level offenses,” the group said. “Public safety is about more than police presence ... We should judge safety strategies by whether they actually reduce harm, not by how punitive or visible they appear.” PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Family of woman killed on MARTA train calls death preventable, demands more police On Saturday, 66-year-old Margaret Swan was stabbed about 20 times on a MARTA train and died, according to police. The suspect, 25-year-old John Elijah Matthews, has been charged with murder in Fulton County and committing an act of violence causing death on a mass transportation station in federal court. He could face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted of the federal charge. On May 24, another man was also stabbed several times on the concourse at the Georgia State MARTA Station. He was taken to the hospital in stable condition, and police have since released photos of the suspect. The FTA said MARTA’s crime rate is nearly twice the national average, but MARTA officials say crime has been down. According to MARTA police, crime decreased by 26% between 2024 and 2025. Since President Donald Trump took office for the second time, Duffy has launched investigations into several cities’ transit agencies, including Chicago’s CTA, Washington, D.C.’s WMATA and New York City’s MTA. MARTA now has 15 days to submit certain information to the FTA, including its 2026 and 2027 fiscal year budgets and data on crime suppression and fare evasion enforcement. This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First as we learn more. Atlanta News First podcasts are available now on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | YouTube Download our Atlanta News First app for your latest news and information. Copyright 2026 WANF. All rights reserved.