Police: Subway Argument Over Shoulder Bag Escalates Into Assault
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The NYPD wants your help identifying a woman seen in police surveillance video in connection with a nasty assault on a subway in Forest Hills.
"It's a disgrace," said one subway rider.
"People just going crazy," said another.
It happened Thursday at 5:45 p.m. on the northbound E train at Queens Boulevard and 71st Avenue.
Cops say the victim, a 39-year-old woman, told them the suspect placed her bag over her shoulder, hitting her with it. When the victim said "excuse me," police say the suspect started screaming and cursing, and slapped the victim in the face.
"It definitely makes people uneasy traveling the subway system," one straphanger told CBS2's Scott Rapoport.
Following the assault, police said the victim got off at a later stop with scratches on her arm and face, but refused medical attention.
The suspect has yet to be caught.
"It's never safe. I feel like that in the trains. Especially at night. You never know you're going to meet," a Forest Hills resident named Sabrina said.
Anyone who recognizes the suspect is asked to call NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. You can also submit a tip via the Crime Stoppers website, by Tweeting @NYPDTips or by texting a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.
