Authorities: 64-Year-Old Man Shoved Onto Subway Tracks After Argument
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Police are searching for a suspect who shoved a 64-year-old man onto the subway tracks at Union Square.
Police say as Wednesday morning's rush hour was coming to an end around 9 a.m., a man wearing a Chicago Bulls sweater and a black hat shoved a 64-year-old man onto the tracks as he was waiting for the Q and R. He then ran away.
Fortunately, the victim was not struck by a train. Power was cut to the tracks, and he was helped to safety and brought to Bellevue Hospital with a cut to his hand.
Police originally thought the alleged push was unprovoked, but new details have since emerged. Authorities now say the two men got into an argument right before the incident.
"One person was being loud and the other one engaged him, basically, because he was being loud and that person then shoved him on the tracks and fled," said NYPD Transit Chief Edward Delatorre.
The NYPD Transit Chief says it's not a matter of if they catch the suspect but when.
"I gotta be really clear, if you come into transit and you put your hands on somebody, you are going to get arrested," Delatorre said.
Subway riders CBS2's John Dias spoke with said they were concerned.
"That's horrible. Why [do] people do stupid things?" one woman said.
"People just have to be aware in the world we're living in today. You see people standing next to the tracks with their phones," said Jozie Rowell, of Harlem. "You have to be aware, put your phone away sometime and watch your back."
"That's why I don't stand next to the platform. I stand a bit farther back," Nash Benaim, of Midwood, said.
Officers are now busy collecting video surveillance of the incident.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the 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 274637.
