QUEENS - An officer with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department was stabbed while on patrol at the Jamaica Station of the Long Island Rail Road ON July 4.  The officer was attempting to disarm an emotionally disturbed man holding a knife.

Officer John Barnett, 45, an almost 13-year veteran of the MTA PD, was stabbed in the face without warning or provocation.   Barnett suffered a devastating wound to his left eye. And underwent almost five hours of surgery at Jamaica Hospital.  It may be several days before any prognosis on the eye is known.

The suspect was shot and killed.

“The entire MTA family is praying for Officer Barnett to make a full recovery,” said MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota, who rushed to Jamaica Hospital on hearing of the incident.  “He did exactly what we expect of all of our officers: In a split second, confronted with a violent individual who posed a threat to everyone around him, he took action without regard to his personal safety. We are all in awe of his bravery.”

Barnett was conscious and was able to speak to his family in the emergency room, said Lhota, who also spoke to Barnett. Governor Cuomo also called Barnett.

Officer Barnett was on routine patrol on Sutphin Boulevard under the elevated LIRR Jamaica Station when Edgar Owens, 46, of the Bronx, walked out of the station at street level. He approached Officer Barnett, who was standing near a taxi booth, while holding the knife at his side.

The ensuing confrontation was captured on video and described by witnesses. Owens stabbed Officer Barnett with no warning. Officer Barnett stepped back, drew his weapon and warned Owens repeatedly to drop his knife. Owens continued approaching Officer Barnett with the knife in his hand.

Officer Barnett fired his weapon four times, striking Owens three times in his jaw, chest and hip. Owens was brought to Jamaica Hospital and pronounced dead a short time later.

Owens has a history of confronting police officers without provocation.

Officer Barnett has never fired his weapon on the job before. He served a year with the NYPD before joining the MTA Police Department in 1999.