Boston woman arrested after threatening Green Line passengers with knife, Transit Police say

By Melissa Werthmann, Globe Correspondent

MBTA Transit Police arrested a woman at the Brookline Hills station Tuesday night after she allegedly threatened several men with a knife while riding on a Green Line trolley.

The woman, identified as Madina Clayton, 52, of Boston, allegedly pulled out a small folding knife as she sat on the Riverside Line train, Transit Police said in a statement. While sitting across from a male passenger, Clayton allegedly repeatedly opened and closed the knife while staring at him, police said.

Madina Clayton (Transit Police)

When the man got up to move to another part of the train, Clayton allegedly stood up, pointed the knife at him, and shouted an obscenity at him, police said.

The woman then engaged another male passenger, police said. When the second man tried to change seats, she allegedly followed him with the open knife.

Witnesses told police that the knife-wielding woman “haphazardly” swung the knife at a third male passenger as he was exiting the train.

Transit and Brookline police responded to the scene at 9:45 p.m. and arrested Clayton for assault with a dangerous weapon.

Officers discovered that there was an arrest warrant issued for Clayton by Boston Municipal Court for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, Transit Police said.

Officers took Clayton to Transit Police headquarters and found she was in possession of marijuana. She was issued a citation, Transit Police said.

Clayton is to appear in Brookline District Court today.