Midnight Madness on the Metro

Mobile digital recording system helps authorities bring brutal attacker to justice

Savvy subway riders know the fundamentals of staying safe––avoid eye contact, don’t display flashy items and remain alert of those around you. But, even the most vigilant commuter can’t thwart an unprovoked, violent attack from a deranged person.

Dubbed the “subway hammer attack,” a five-minute long assault on a dozing man by a hammer-wielding attacker on the Philadelphia subway was captured in November 2008 by a GE Security MobileView IV digital camera installed inside the train. Thirtysix cameras were installed in 135 trains in early 2008 as part of a homeland security upgrade. The entire Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority subway fleet will be equipped with digital cameras in the coming years.

Heightened Security
MobileView creates a feeling of security for passengers and employs features that facilitate ease of use for operators. Upon the start of a train, MobileView cameras automatically begin recording and documenting events. GPS tracking allows transit authorities to know exactly where a particular train is at any time. Through the use of a wireless LAN, recorded images and camera feeds can be viewed from a laptop up to three blocks away, through a docking station or via a central station.

The MobileView IV digital recording system provides monochrome or color recording of up to 120 pictures per second and a hard drive that holds up to 1,000 GB of storage, the equivalent of up to 30 days of high-quality surveillance video. The typical MobileView system consists of up to 12 cameras on board a vehicle, a DVR, a keypad, panic button/status lights, a docking station and a PC loaded with MobileView software. All equipment components are made from industrial-grade materials to meet stringent testing standards for vibration, temperature and shock.

Shocking Video
Shortly after 12:15 a.m., video showed DeWayne Taylor, 20, and Thomas Scantling, 26, and his 5-year-old son, boarding the same train at the City Hall station. Taylor can be seen listening to his iPod and dozing in his seat while Scantling, a bearded, stocky, 5-foot-9-inch black man wearing a yellow shirt and black pants, and his young son are seen standing by the subway car doors. Scantling talks into his son’s ear, kisses him on the cheek and directs him to a seat.

Then, he reaches into a black-and-yellow backpack, pulls out a double-clawed hammer and wildly unleashes the attack on Taylor, repeatedly bashing his head and neck.

While Taylor tries to fend Scantling off, the subway doors open and Scantling drags Taylor onto the Fairmount Avenue platform. After an unsuccessful attempt to push him onto the tracks, Scantling and the boy leave together.

Police released the surveillance video to the public, and mere hours later, Scantling’s family members recognized him and his son and notified authorities.

With the right technology, grainy and blurry videos can be a thing of the past for law enforcement. The speed of identifying the assailant can be credited to the picturerich images captured by the MobileView system.

“The video image quality of the MobileView IV and GE Security’s Video Manager/Fleet Manager software made it simple for police to quickly locate the segment of video they needed to help identify the assailant,” said Paul Bentz, MobileView sales manager for GE Security.

Success Story
Taylor was treated for non-life-threatening head and neck injuries at Temple University Hospital. He received staples and stitches and was discharged.

Scantling, who has a history of mental illness and a criminal history including rape, robbery, assault and narcotics violations, was arrested at a mental institution and has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated and simple assault, and other related charges.

The motive for the attack remains a mystery.

“GE Security’s advanced technology solutions are helping make the world a safer place by meeting today’s evolving real-world security needs head on,” said Dean Seavers, president and CEO of GE Security, in a press release. “MobileView is designed to help transit systems and other fleet vehicle operators reduce crime, address homeland security issues, limit liability and provide a safer experience for employees and customers.”

MobileView is deployed in some of the world’s busiest public transit systems including, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, DC, Denver, Oakland, Calif., Albuquerque, N.M., Broward County, Fla., and Paris.

Today, GE Security’s MobileView technology is being used in more than 18,000 U.S. transit systems.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Security Today Announces The Govies Government Security Award Winners for 2025

    Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 winners in The Govies Government Security Awards. The awards honor outstanding government security products in a variety of categories. Read Now

  • Survey: 60 Percent of Organizations Using AI in IT Infrastructure

    Netwrix, a cybersecurity provider focused on data and identity threats, today announced the release of its annual global 2025 Cybersecurity Trends Report based on a global survey of 2,150 IT and security professionals from 121 countries. It reveals that 60% of organizations are already using artificial intelligence (AI) in their IT infrastructure and 30% are considering implementing AI. Read Now

  • New Research Reveals Global Video Surveillance Industry Perspectives on AI

    Axis Communications, the global industry leader in video surveillance, has released its latest research report, ‘The State of AI in Video Surveillance,’ which explores global industry perspectives on the use of AI in the security industry and beyond. The report reveals current attitudes on AI technologies thanks to in-depth interviews with AI experts from Axis’ global network and a comprehensive survey of more than 5,800 respondents, including distributors, channel partners, and end customers across 68 countries. The resulting insights cover AI integration and the opportunities and challenges that exist with regard to security, safety, business intelligence, and operational efficiency. Read Now

  • SIA Urges Tariff Relief for Security Industry Products

    Today, the Security Industry Association has sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick requesting relief from tariffs for security industry products and asking that the Trump administration formulate a process that allows companies to apply for product-specific exemptions. The security industry is an important segment of the U.S. economy, contributing over $430 billion in total economic impact and supporting over 2.1 million jobs. Read Now

  • Report Shows Cybercriminals Continue Pivot to Stealthier Tactics

    IBM recently released the 2025 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index highlighting that cybercriminals continued to pivot to stealthier tactics, with lower-profile credential theft spiking, while ransomware attacks on enterprises declined. IBM X-Force observed an 84% increase in emails delivering infostealers in 2024 compared to the prior year, a method threat actors relied heavily on to scale identity attacks. Read Now

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.