A man stabbed another man in the abdomen after an argument between two families at a children’s amusement park on Long Island on Sunday afternoon, according to police and law enforcement sources.
According to Suffolk County Police, suspect Daniel Tomaski (42), of Shirley, stabbed his acquaintance, James Barnes, of Florida, with a knife at around 4:50 p.m. at Adventureland amusement park. The victim, 47, was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
Sources told The Post that the stabbing began when two families got into an argument in East Farmingdale, a popular summer spot.
Police say multiple people were involved in the altercation, which took place in front of at least one child.
An email sent to park officials was not immediately responded to, but a spokesman said Check with Newsday The violence, which occurred earlier that evening, was the result of a family dispute.
Tomaski was arrested and charged with first-degree assault, third-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, endangering the welfare of a child and other related offenses, according to police.
He will be held in police custody overnight ahead of an arraignment scheduled for Monday in Central Islip.
Adventureland was open for business as usual after police investigated the crime scene for several hours, a park spokesman told Newsday.
The park has been a leader in family entertainment on Long Island since 1962 and is open from 11am to 10pm during the summer.
“I think it’s really sad because we’re here with our kids,” said Jesse Hagelstein of Ronkonkoma. He told News 12. “This is a children’s amusement park, so families just come with their kids to have a good time.”
Park leaders have previously stressed the importance of safety at the park.
“Moms decide where to spend their entertainment dollars,” said Steven Gentile, Adventureland’s president and co-owner. He told WCBS in 2022“We need to convince moms that we are delivering a safe product and that they can entertain their children in a safe environment.”
He also CBS 2 NY Interview Earlier this year it was revealed the park has been used by generations of families.
“You see familiar faces, you see them coming with their children, sometimes their grandchildren,” he told the station. “It’s a tradition.”
