A 45-year-old man is in critical condition after being shoved onto subway tracks and struck by a train at New York City’s 18th Street station on Tuesday. Authorities described the incident as a random attack.
The assault occurred around 1:30 p.m. when a masked and hooded assailant pushed the man onto the tracks as a train entered the station. Dramatic footage from the scene shows firefighters working to rescue the injured victim from between subway cars while bystanders watched in shock. The man was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical but stable condition.
Police said no evidence suggests the attacker knew the victim. The suspect, described as a light-complexioned male wearing a mask, a black jacket over a dark hooded sweatshirt, and gray jeans, fled the scene and remains at large.
This attack is part of a troubling rise in transit violence in New York City. On Sunday, two separate subway slashings were reported. Additionally, on December 22, a horrifying incident occurred when 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, an illegal migrant from Guatemala, set a sleeping passenger on fire aboard an F train in Brooklyn. The victim, 57-year-old Debrina Kawam, was killed in the attack.
Zapeta-Calil, who had been living in homeless shelters in Brooklyn and Queens, reportedly set Kawam’s clothing on fire without provocation. Authorities found no evidence the two knew each other.
In response to escalating violence, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced plans to deploy more than 1,000 National Guardsmen to the city’s transit system. Additionally, the anti-crime group Guardian Angels is expanding its underground patrols to increase safety and deter crime.
Transit violence remains a major concern for New York City residents and visitors. Officials continue to urge vigilance while riding the subway, and the NYPD is actively searching for the suspect involved in Tuesday’s attack. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact authorities.