Police union boss tells MTA riders they’re on their own amid violence uptick
By Craig McCarthy and Bruce Golding
New York Post
November 20, 2020
The head of the NYPD’s largest union issued a stark warning to subway riders Friday amid an alarming rash of underground attacks: You’re on your own.
Police Benevolent Association president Pat Lynch accused lawmakers of preventing cops from doing their jobs and advised straphangers to “keep both eyes wide open” to avoid being victimized.
“The politicians have made it abundantly clear that they don’t want cops enforcing transit system rules, connecting the homeless with services, engaging with seriously mentally ill people or doing any of the things necessary to prevent these terrifying random attacks,” he said.
“That is their choice to make, but who is replacing us in those roles? Right now, nobody.”
Lynch added: “While our elected leaders are closing their eyes and wishing the problem away, we recommend that all New Yorkers keep both eyes wide open while in our transit system.”
The disturbing message came a day after a 40-year-old woman was shoved onto the tracks and into the path of an incoming train at Manhattan’s 14th Street-Union Square station around 8:30 a.m. Thursday. She narrowly escaped death.
It was the second incident of its kind in as many days and the fourth since Oct. 19.
The attacks by unhinged assailants led interim NYC Transit President Sarah Feinberg to plead for action from City Hall.
“We have a crisis in this city and it absolutely has to be addressed,” Feinberg said Thursday.
“It’s gotta be addressed, and I’m desperate for this mayor or the next mayor to take it on because we’ve got a long way to go.”
In addition to the shoving incidents, statistics released last month showed that although subway ridership this year has plunged 70 percent due to the coronavirus pandemic, five murders were committed in the system through September — up from two during the same period last year.
There were also 22 felony assaults on the subways in September, a tiny reduction from the 24 that took place during the same month in 2019.
A spokeswoman for Mayor Bill de Blasio rejected Lynch’s remarks.
“There are people who work hard to keep the subways safe and then there is Pat Lynch, who actively roots for a more chaotic, violent city,” spokeswoman Avery Cohen said.
“He cannot be taken seriously on public safety and his latest words are insults to the people he supposedly represents.”
The statement continued, “This Administration has built a mental health infrastructure from the ground up, filling critical gaps in services to ensure every New Yorker has access to the care they need.
“From outreach workers, to mobile mental health treatment teams, city workers are in our communities and subways doing this critical work every day.”
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Suspect in Bryant Park subway shove was busted in previous NYC attack
By Amanda Woods
New York Post
November 20, 2020
The suspected panhandler nabbed for allegedly shoving a man onto Manhattan train tracks when he refused to hand over money was busted earlier this year for a brutal, unprovoked attack on the subway, police said Friday.
Justin Pena, 23, was busted Thursday afternoon and charged with attempted murder in connection to the 6:50 p.m. Wednesday attack as the 36-year-old victim waited for the B or D train at the 42nd Street-Bryant Park station, cops said.
Pena allegedly punched the man multiple times and pushed him onto the tracks.
The victim was able to pull himself to safety and was treated at Bellevue Hospital for minor injuries to his knee and hands, cops said.
But the incident wasn’t Pena’s first act of violence on the rails, cops confirmed. Back on Jan. 16, he allegedly punched a 62-year-old man in the face in an unprovoked attack on an F train at 23rd Street, authorities said.
Shocking video obtained by ABC 7 at the time shows the victim standing on the train, with his back turned to his assailant, when Pena suddenly cold-cocked him.
“Oh my God!” a fellow straphanger could be heard yelling as passengers rushed to subdue the attacker.
The victim needed two staples for a wound in the back of his head, his face was covered in cuts and bruises, his eye was bruised, his lip swollen and his neck was in a brace, according to the report.
The retired postal worker, who spoke Cantonese, told the station there was a lot of blood and he doesn’t remember much of what happened. Pena was charged with assault in connection to the attack, cops said.
Pena was also previously charged with punching a Correction officer in the face on Rikers Island on July 23, 2015, according to police.
His arraignment in connection to the most recent attack was pending Friday.
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