NEW YORK – Random attacks (and murders) on New York’s transportation system continue to sow panic among New Yorkers who depend on this service, despite assurances from the mayor and governor that subway trains are safe.
Other unmotivated attacks in the days following the implementation of a new security initiative only serve to reinforce the concerns of many travelers, and the latest attack is proof of this, after a woman ended up with a broken back after being was pushed by the stairs of the subway; this, while one man was also the victim of a violent attack on the L train in a separate attack.
According to the NYPD, the 22-year-old woman was on a platform of train 7 northbound at 82nd Street-Jackson Heights station in Queens around 5:30 am Sunday when a stranger punched her in the face and he punched her in the face. has pushed a flight of stairs to the ground that leads to the mezzanine. The victim claims she suffered bruises and swelling in her knee, shoulder, hand and spine, and doctors at a hospital diagnosed her with a back compression fracture.
The most unusual thing so far: nothing was stolen from the woman and no possible reason for the assault was shared. Cops released a surveillance video of that suspect to track her location (shown in the attached video).
Anyone with information on this incident can call the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their suggestions by logging into the site web the CrimeStoppers or a Twitter @NYPDTips.
In addition, NYPD has reported in the past 24 hours of an unprovoked attack on October 13 against an 18-year-old man as he was getting off a 6 northbound train in the middle of the afternoon in the Bronx. That victim was shot in the back of the head. He refused medical treatment on the spot.
On the same day, about five hours in Brooklyn, police say a 21-year-old subway passenger on an L train was punched multiple times in the head and body after a stranger approached him and started a argument, police say. The attacker escaped when the train stopped at Jefferson Street station and the victim went to the hospital with swelling and bruising of the face.
Police released a surveillance image of that suspect (below).
This is the suspect sought in the Bushwick attack.
The latest attacks come after Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled a new plan to curb violence in the subway, whether targeted or not, in an attempt to calm public concerns as the struggling MTA seeks to continue its slow recovery from the pandemic.
Over the weekend, Democrats said they planned to give the green light to more than 1,000 overtime shifts each day specifically designed to increase the number of uniformed officers patrolling platforms and trains. Funding an additional 1,200 shifts would represent an additional 10,000 hours of patrol each day. Its weekend announcement also included two new inpatient psychiatric facilities to help people with severe mental health problems.
Hochul said part of the plan includes MTA police concentrating resources on stations connected to four major commuter rail hubs: Penn Station, Grand Central, Atlantic Terminal, and Jamaica Station, a move that, in turn, allows officers of the NYPD to increase coverage through the system. Subway passengers this week may also have noticed announcements in some stations reminding them that police are available in the area if they need to report a crime or concern.
“Cops, Cameras and Care,” as Hochul called the series of initiatives, includes extensive mental health training previously provided to New York State Police and Crisis First Responders. State training will now be provided to police and other city rescuers specifically involved in the transportation of people in need of psychiatric evaluation.
Elected officials recognized the perception of violence that plagues public transport. City leaders say there has been a drop in crime, but the nine murders within the MTA this year have created a wave of frustration that they believe needs to be addressed head-on.
“We must address both the perception and reality of safety, and the expanded partnership we announce today with Governor Hochul will do just that, building on the successes of our Metro Safety Plan. The bottom line is that passengers will see more officers in the system,” as well as those who are considering breaking the law, ”Adams said.
Sending dozens of additional officials to the transit system is a method already in the mayor’s toolbox. His subway safety plan announced earlier this year has deployed additional police officers since the start of his administration.
Adams said 40% of the street killings were committed by people with severe mental health problems. So the next step is to tackle mental health. The state has promised 50 new inpatient beds as part of a new plan to essentially get people engaged. Meanwhile, a new analysis from the NYPD shows an increase in crime arrests among people with mental illness.
