Unprovoked NYC subway attack: Victim hit in head with metal object in Queens
Renewed focus on NYC subway safety
After a pair of incidents this past weekend near Penn Station, more questions are being asked about safety on the New York City subway system and what's behind a recent rise in crime.
NEW YORK - A person exiting a Queens subway station was attacked by a stranger from behind, unprovoked, in the last act of violence within the NYC subway system, according to authorities.
The attack happened at the Grand Avenue–Newtown station, which services the E, F and R trains, near Queens Boulevard in Elmhurst on Tuesday.
The attacker approached the victim from behind and hit him in the head with a metal object, police said.
Police survey the Grand Av-Newtown subway station after an unprovoked attack.
The perp then fled the scene on foot in an unknown direction.
The victim sustained a laceration to the head but is expected to be OK.
NYC subway crime
After a 45% increase in subway crime in January, the NYPD flooded the system with an additional 1,000 officers in February. For the last 28 days this year, compared to last year, crime is down 13.2%.
Yet more questions are being raised about the safety of the New York City subway system after several recent attacks.
Man kicked onto subway tracks speaks out
Abu Khan, the 64-year-old man who was randomly kicked onto the subway tracks on sunday, is speaking out about his experience, asking for New York City's subways to be made safer.
On Sunday, police a 64-year-old was kicked off of the platform and fell onto the tracks, but was rescued by other passengers.
At the same station at around 11 p.m. last Friday, police say a 27-year-old man was approached by a male suspect aboard an A train pulling into the 34th Street/Penn Station stop. The suspect allegedly made an anti-LGBTQ statement before slashing the man with a box cutter.
Transit union disputes MTA claims on subway crime
New York City's Transit Worker's union is saying that MTA executives are deliberately downplaying the problem of crime on the subway.
Also last week, an MTA conductor on a train in Brooklyn was slashed in the neck when he stuck his head out of the cabin window, the NYPD said. A stabbing was also reported on a Bronx 4 train.