Maksim Gelman
Encyclopedia
Maksim Gelman is a man who committed a 28-hour killing spree
that lasted from February 11 to 12, 2011 in New York City
, which included the stabbing
and killing of four people and the wounding of at least five others.
in 1992 on a refugee status. Maksim and his mother Svetlana joined two years later and moved to New York staying in the United States even after Maksim's father returned to Ukraine
upon gaining American citizenship. Maksim became a citizen in 2005.
Gelman attended Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, according to a former student there, but it is unclear if he graduated, and was known around school as being a skateboarder. He has a record with law enforcement, having been previously arrested ten other times, mostly for graffiti
-related offenses. Amongst graffiti artists, the few who knew of him saw him as a largely unwanted troublemaker. He was also reportedly a drug user and small-time dealer. On 26 January 2011, Gelman had been arrested for charges relating to crack cocaine
.
after an argument with his mother about driving Kuznetsov's vehicle. His mother was not hurt.
According to the reports' timeline, Gelman then went to the house of a female acquaintance named Yelena Bulchenko, where he killed her mother Anna. He then allegedly hid inside the house, waiting for Yelena to return. When she came back six hours later, Gelman chased her out of the home after she tried to dial 911. He stabbed her eleven times, killing her, before speeding off in Kuznetsov's car. He later rammed another car, stabbed and injured its driver, Arthur DiCrescento, and carjacked
his vehicle. Gelman later ran down 62-year-old Stephen Tannenbaum, who subsequently died of his injuries.
Gelman next stabbed and wounded a number of individuals in various stages during the rampage, including Shelden Pottinger, whose vehicle Gelman stole and drove off on. Finally, after boarding a northbound 3 train
at 34th Street - Penn Station, he stabbed Joseph Lozito, who works as a ticket seller at the Lincoln Center and is a Mixed Martial Arts
fan. According to some reports, Gelman started banging on the door of the motorman's cab, demanding to be let in, at which point two police officers assigned to the manhunt arrived and subdued him after a struggle with Lozito's help. According to other accounts, Lozito actively defended himself, engaging Gelman in a physical confrontation that allowed transit officers Terrance Howell and Tamara Taylor along with off-duty Detective Marcelo Razzo to subdue and restrain Gelman, who was apprehended at Times Square - 42nd Street.
Although no motive for the murders has been yet offered by the authorities, it has been speculated in the media that the rampage was triggered by Gelman's advances being scorned by Yelena Bulchenko..
On November 30, 2011, Gelman pleaded guilty to all charges and is expected to be sentenced to the maximum term of life in prison on January 11, 2012
Spree killer
A spree killer is someone who embarks on a murderous assault on two or more victims in a short time in multiple locations. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics defines a spree killing as "killings at two or more locations with almost no time break between murders."-Definition:According to the...
that lasted from February 11 to 12, 2011 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, which included the stabbing
Stabbing
A stabbing is penetration with a sharp or pointed object at close range. Stab connotes purposeful action, as by an assassin or murderer, but it is also possible to accidentally stab oneself or others.Stabbing differs from slashing or cutting in that the motion of the object used in a stabbing...
and killing of four people and the wounding of at least five others.
Background
Gelman's father had immigrated to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1992 on a refugee status. Maksim and his mother Svetlana joined two years later and moved to New York staying in the United States even after Maksim's father returned to Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
upon gaining American citizenship. Maksim became a citizen in 2005.
Gelman attended Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, according to a former student there, but it is unclear if he graduated, and was known around school as being a skateboarder. He has a record with law enforcement, having been previously arrested ten other times, mostly for graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
-related offenses. Amongst graffiti artists, the few who knew of him saw him as a largely unwanted troublemaker. He was also reportedly a drug user and small-time dealer. On 26 January 2011, Gelman had been arrested for charges relating to crack cocaine
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
.
Timeline of attacks
Police reports state that on the morning of February 11, 2011, Gelman stabbed and killed his mother's companion Aleksandr Kuznetsov in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
after an argument with his mother about driving Kuznetsov's vehicle. His mother was not hurt.
According to the reports' timeline, Gelman then went to the house of a female acquaintance named Yelena Bulchenko, where he killed her mother Anna. He then allegedly hid inside the house, waiting for Yelena to return. When she came back six hours later, Gelman chased her out of the home after she tried to dial 911. He stabbed her eleven times, killing her, before speeding off in Kuznetsov's car. He later rammed another car, stabbed and injured its driver, Arthur DiCrescento, and carjacked
Carjacking
Carjacking is a form of hijacking, where the crime is of stealing a motor vehicle and so also armed assault when the vehicle is occupied. Historically, such as in the rash of semi-trailer truck hijackings during the 1960s, the general term hijacking was used for that type of vehicle abduction,...
his vehicle. Gelman later ran down 62-year-old Stephen Tannenbaum, who subsequently died of his injuries.
Gelman next stabbed and wounded a number of individuals in various stages during the rampage, including Shelden Pottinger, whose vehicle Gelman stole and drove off on. Finally, after boarding a northbound 3 train
3 (New York City Subway service)
The 3 Seventh Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored red on station signs, route signs and the official subway map, since it uses the IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line through most of Manhattan....
at 34th Street - Penn Station, he stabbed Joseph Lozito, who works as a ticket seller at the Lincoln Center and is a Mixed Martial Arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
fan. According to some reports, Gelman started banging on the door of the motorman's cab, demanding to be let in, at which point two police officers assigned to the manhunt arrived and subdued him after a struggle with Lozito's help. According to other accounts, Lozito actively defended himself, engaging Gelman in a physical confrontation that allowed transit officers Terrance Howell and Tamara Taylor along with off-duty Detective Marcelo Razzo to subdue and restrain Gelman, who was apprehended at Times Square - 42nd Street.
Trial
On February 13, 2011, Gelman was arraigned in a Brooklyn courtroom on charges of murder and assault, where he was represented by public defender Michael Baum. While being led from the police precinct to the courthouse, in front of a crowd of onlooker and reporters, Gelman reportedly showed no remorse, saying that he had been "set up."Although no motive for the murders has been yet offered by the authorities, it has been speculated in the media that the rampage was triggered by Gelman's advances being scorned by Yelena Bulchenko..
On November 30, 2011, Gelman pleaded guilty to all charges and is expected to be sentenced to the maximum term of life in prison on January 11, 2012