'It's Always In The Back Of My Mind:' New Yorkers Worry They Could Fall Victim To Random Attack
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A random attack left a man with injuries to his face after he said a woman beat him with her shoe.
It came after a series of unprovoked attacks across the city.
Right now, police are searching for suspects in several crimes, some that have happened on the subway, others in plain sight on the street.
As CBS2's Valerie Castro reported, some New Yorkers worry they could become the next random victim.
The city streets always hold the unknown - who is that person walking beside you? What are their intentions?
"She hit me several times with her shoe, speaking in Spanish. I didn't understand," shoe attack victim Chris Pandit said.
Pandit still isn't sure who the woman is. He said she attacked him with her shoe Tuesday afternoon on a subway platform in Ozone Park, Queens.
Pandit was left with bruises and scratches on his eyelid and forehead. He said the assault was unprovoked.
"I just walked past her on the platform, she came up to me," he said.
He snapped pictures of the woman with his cell phone. It's something more victims appear to be doing, to help police track down criminals.
The pictures of four men were snapped by women and in one case a 15-year-old girl, all while riding the subway -- police said they were accused of groping their victims.
The seemingly unprovoked crime is something New Yorkers said they constantly fear.
"I have not been a victim of it, but people that I know have, so it's always in the back of my mind," Victor Jimenez said.
Violent crime caught on surveillance video only adds to the concern. A sucker punch from a stranger killed 64-year-old Patrick Gorman in Queens back in June. Police are still searching for two suspects.
As of Tuesday, the NYPD's crime statistics show shootings and rape are up slightly, but overall crime is down year to date by almost 3.5 percent.
Despite the numbers some worry the next dangerous incident is just a stranger away.
"I feel like the city doesn't do enough," Marlene Konner said.
The NYPD said crime in the subway is down -- 17 less crimes this October compared to last.
