Bronx subway shooting: 3 suspects arrested, charged in murder of man
THE BRONX - The three suspects wanted in connection to the murder of a man on a subway train last week in the Bronx were arrested and charged, the NYPD said.
The suspects, identified as Justin Herde, 24, Betty Cotto, 38, and Alfredo Trinidad, 42, are all charged with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon. According to police, the suspects were picked up Monday just before noon at an apartment in the Bronx.
Police believe the trio fatally attacked William Alvarez, 45, on Friday just after 5 a.m. on a southbound D train, in the Fordham Heights section, that was pulling into the 182-183 Streets station.
"This is a homicide investigation, this is as serious as it gets," Michael Kemper, the police department's transit chief, said.
As the train approached the stop, police said one of the suspects sat next to Alvarez and started arguing with him. That's when the dispute quickly turned physical, with the two others joining in. At some point, a gun went off, killing Alvarez.
By the time the train pulled up to the station, police said the suspects took off. Alvarez was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
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NYC subway crime debate heats up between MTA, Transport Workers Union
New York City's Transport Worker's Union is saying that MTA executives are deliberately downplaying the problem of crime on the subway.
Meanwhile, after another week of high-profile crimes on the subway, the Transport Workers Union is stepping into the conversation about safety for straphangers, saying that MTA executives are deliberately downplaying the problem.
"We feel that Janno Lieber and the MTA has to do more and they have to not make these outrageous statements that the subway system crimes are down. because it is not obviously, as you can see," said Richard Davis, the President of TWU Local 100.
Davis specifically criticized a recent statement by Lieber on Friday, after Alavarez was fatally attacked.
"Well, you know what, the month of February it's down compared to last year," said Lieber about crime on the subway. "And that's because Mayor Adams and the NYPD have surged cops into the subway system."