A man was taken into custody after he reportedly pushed a woman onto train tracks at a New York City subway station as a train was pulling in, authorities said Thursday.
The disturbing incident happened around 8:30 a.m. on the northbound platform inside Union Square station on 14th St., NYPD Assistant Chief of Transit Kathleen O’Reilly said at a press conference.
The suspect was immediately apprehended and the incident has been captured on video, O’Reilly said, adding that the man waited purposely as the train was approaching and pushed the woman onto the tracks.
“The whole incident is captured on video, it’s very disturbing, we’ve seen him waiting, calculating, for the train to approach the station and at the opportune moment he pushed the victim to the tracks,” O’Reilly said.
Watch as @NYPDTransit Chief O’Reilly briefs the media on an incident at Union Square in which a female was pushed on to the tracks as a train was pulling into the station. @FDNY helped the victim off the tracks, and our officers quickly made an arrest. pic.twitter.com/ajvHWVr5mr
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) November 19, 2020
Police described the woman as a “white Hispanic” and was taken to a nearby hospital after New York City Fire Department officials helped her off the tracks.
“She fell fortunately for her between the row bed and the rails, and, for the grace of God sustained minor injuries,” O’Reilly said.
The unidentified woman, reportedly in her 40s, was found by fire officials while trapped under a 5 train, FDNY ordered the station for power to be terminated while they rescued the victim from the tracks, according to the Daily Mail.
She reportedly managed to avoid severe injuries by laying flat on the track as two subway cars went over her before the train came to a stop.
The motive for the attack was not immediately clear but officials said it was “unprovoked” and both the suspect and the victim hadn’t exchanged words.
A conductor at the platform station witnessed the moment when the “disheveled-looking” man pushed the woman on the tracks, telling the New York Post that he yelled at the suspect who then dropped to the ground.
“I think he thought I was a cop,” the conductor told the outlet.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and they expect delays on the 4, 5, and 6 lines.