The New York Police Department (NYPD) announced that a 34-year-old Brooklyn man was arrested early March 9 after allegedly pushing two passengers—including an 83-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran—onto subway tracks without provocation at a Manhattan station on the Upper East Side the previous morning. The shocking attack has again raised concerns about safety in the New York City subway system. The suspect now faces multiple felony charges, including attempted murder.
According to police, the incident occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. on March 8 on the southbound F and Q train platform at the Lexington Avenue–63rd Street subway station. Surveillance footage and witness statements indicate that the suspect first approached a 30-year-old man standing near the edge of the platform and suddenly pushed him onto the tracks. He then turned to an 83-year-old man nearby and shoved him off the platform as well before fleeing the station.
The two victims were identified as 30-year-old Jhon Rodriguez and 83-year-old Air Force veteran Richard Williams.
At the critical moment, Rodriguez—who sustained minor injuries—and several other passengers on the platform acted quickly. Rodriguez later told media outlets that after falling onto the tracks he felt terrified and disoriented. He then saw the elderly man beside him strike his head on the rails, bleeding heavily and losing consciousness. Ignoring his own injuries, Rodriguez, together with other bystanders, managed to lift Williams back onto the platform. The two narrowly escaped before the next train arrived.
Emergency responders transported both victims to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Rodriguez suffered minor injuries and is in stable condition. However, Williams sustained severe head trauma, including multiple fractures and a brain hemorrhage, and remains in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU).
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Williams’ family said in an interview: “He survived a fire and cancer before. He is an extremely selfless man. We are devastated that he has suffered such violence.”
After the incident, the NYPD released surveillance images of the suspect and asked the public for information. Following a search lasting less than 48 hours, police arrested 34-year-old Brooklyn resident Bairon Hernandez at around 5 a.m. on March 10. Hernandez now faces several serious charges, including attempted murder, attempted assault, assault, and reckless endangerment. Police have not disclosed a motive, but preliminary investigation suggests the incident was a random attack.
People walk by a subway stop in a busy midtown Manhattan on April 13, 2022 in New York City. (Image: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
The case occurred at a sensitive moment when New York City was already on heightened alert following a separate attempted bombing near the mayor’s residence. Although police said the subway attack is not related to terrorism, the incident has intensified public concern about everyday commuter safety.
According to NYPD data, incidents of people being pushed onto subway tracks have increased in recent years. In the first two months of 2026 alone, nine such incidents were recorded in the subway system. By comparison, there were 19 cases in 2025 and 26 in 2024.
Following the attack, several residents and passenger advocacy groups again called on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the New York City government to install platform safety barriers at key subway stations and increase patrol officers and mental-health crisis response teams to protect the millions of commuters who rely on the subway each day.
By Tian Jingxin