A woman is fighting for her life after being shoved into a moving subway train in Midtown on Wednesday afternoon, police reported.
The victim, a 30-year-old woman, was standing on the southbound bound E train platform inside of the 53rd Street and 5th Avenue station at around 12:04 p.m. on Oct. 18 when an unidentified assailant approached her from behind, according to police.
Authorities said the suspect shoved the straphanger as the train was leaving the station, sending her head slamming into the rear of the carriage before she tumbled to the tracks below.
“Fortunately there were eyewitness and good samaritans on that platform that helped her up back onto the platform,” NYPD chief of Transit Michael Kemper said.
Police said the woman suffered severe head lacerations. She was rushed to Weill Cornell Medical Center in critical condition.
“We pray for her speedy recovery,” Chief Kemper added.
Police have identified the suspect as Sabir Jones, 39, based on eyewitness accounts and video evidence, according to Chief Kemper. He has yet to be arrested.
Kemper said Jones is known to police but did not elaborate.
The station was completely shut down to commuters during the afternoon with officers cordoning-off the turnstiles with police tape, leaving riders stunned.
“I feel bad, life is important,” Mahbub Ragman told amNewYork Metro as he attempted to get to work in Queens. “I am just shocked, this is hard.”
Caroline Trotter, a tourist from Arkansas, likewise said she was shocked but also had crime in mind when traveling to the Big Apple.
“We try to keep alert, make sure we are watching our surroundings, and make sure we stay in high populated areas,” Trotter said.
The incident harkened back to the shocking death of Michelle Go, a straphanger shoved in front of a moving train at the Times Square-42nd Street station in January 2022. An emotionally disturbed man was later apprehended for the murderous assault.
Police described the perpetrator in Wednesday’s case as a man in his 30s who wore a burgundy sweater, and was last seen fleeing toward 5th Avenue.
No arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) @NYPDTips.
