Woman Nearly Pushed Onto Subway Tracks In Downtown Brooklyn
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Another random attack struck the city's subway system this week, this time involving a woman who avoided getting thrown onto the tracks by a homeless man.
As CBS2's Sonia Rincon reported, the victim in this case luckily was not hurt. But she was almost pushed right onto the tracks at the Borough Hall station in downtown Brooklyn.
She got away, and did everything she could to keep herself safe.
Women who spoke with CBS2 were saying, "Not again."
"It's odd," said subway rider Joanne Gay, "because I always feel very safe in the city. But it is alarming."
The 35-year-old victim walked away from a yelling, belligerent homeless man at the subway stop around 7:15 p.m. Thursday, police said.
But then, she told police she could hear him moving behind her, still yelling and telling her to leave. He then he pushed her toward the tracks, but she grabbed a pillar and held on tight, police said.
Once the next train arrived, she managed to get on. She rode it to Union Square, where she told police what happened.
Police found a man fitting the suspect's description just outside the Borough Hall station on Court and Joralemon streets in Brooklyn around 8 p.m.
The man was identified as David French, 46. Sources told CBS2 he was arrested more than 20 years ago for hitting a woman on a subway, and a few times since then for minor nonviolent offenses.
Sources also said he has been homeless for years and in and out of hospitals for mental health problems.
Women at the Borough Hall station said there is not much one can do, except what the victim in this case did.
They advised that people should be aware of their surroundings.
"I've felt, you know, uncomfortable when there are these kinds of people, you know, a little bit suspicious," said Cristina Mejia. "So I feel like they should have, like, you know, people in here, so they like check around who is, like, coming in."
"I would definitely like to see more of a police presence on the subway," added Gay. "Fares went up, and people are getting hurt on the subway, that's not really a good thing."
Other riders, including Kelsey Weeks, have noticed more police officers in the subway system and are grateful.
"It was about 3 in the morning and the police actually came on the train to make sure I was OK since I was alone, so I thought that was pretty cool," Weeks said.
She said she would like more such action from police.
"That was pretty nice, actually, to see that they're concerned about what's going on," Weeks said.
CBS2 reached out to the victim of the scary Borough Hall station incident. She didn't want to speak on camera, saying she just wanted to put it all behind her.
The suspect in this case has been charged with reckless endangerment and was due in court either Friday night or Monday morning.
