Police in the Bronx are on the hunt for a brazen brute who allegedly punched an on-duty MTA bus driver last week.
The attack took place aboard a Bx31 bus near the intersection of Van Cortlandt Park and East 242nd Street in Woodlawn at around 6:50 p.m. on April 1.
According to law enforcement sources, the violent suspect boarded the bus at a nearby stop, approached the 57-year-old bus driver, and slugged him square in the face with a closed fist.
Police could not confirm if there had been a verbal dispute first or what else may have led to the assault.
After the attack, the suspect immediately fled the bus on foot to parts unknown before officers from the 47th Precinct arrived at the scene.
The victim, meanwhile, suffered pain and swelling in his face. EMS brought him to nearby Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital in stable condition.
Police on Monday released a surveillance of the suspect. He is shown on the bus wearing a dark-colored coat with a hood and white sneakers.
So far, no arrests have been made, but the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information regarding the assault can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
Although MTA officials report that transit crime has dropped around 29% in the first two months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, assaults on bus drivers are not uncommon.
In June 2024, a veteran MTA bus driver was slashed in the neck by an angry bus passenger upset over a traffic detour.
That same month, a woman threw an object at a bus driver in Harlem while the pair argued over whether the bus was in service. The driver hit his knew on the dashboard, which resulted in minor injury, but was otherwise in stable condition.
