Authorities on Monday released photos of a man being sought in connection with an apparently random attack targeting two people in the New York City subway system, law enforcement sources say.
According to investigators, a 30-year-old man was standing on the southbound F/Q platform at the Lexington Avenue-63rd Street subway station around 11:30 a.m. Sunday when a man came up from behind. That individual pushed the 30-year-old, who fell onto the subway tracks.
The same man then walked up to an 83-year-old man on the platform and pushed him, too. The elderly man also fell to the tracks.
He was taken to a hospital in critical condition. The younger victim, John Rodriguez, was treated for less severe injuries.
Rodriguez spoke to NBC New York on Monday, describing how terrified he was and how grateful he is to be alive. He shared video he took when he was stuck on the tracks waiting for help — and praying a train wasn’t close to arriving at the station.
Fortunately, neither victim was hit by a train. Both were pulled by Good Samaritans back to safety on the platform before a train arrived.
The suspect in the attack that plays on the worst fears of all subway riders had still not been caught as of Monday evening. Anyone with information on the man seen above is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
