Here in no particular order are links to several fatal and near-fatal attacks in the subway in which the victim was on the tracks. Because these incidents were witnessed by passengers the police could not classify any of them as an "accident."
Woman Killed in Subway Train Dispute "A 23 year-old woman ... was killed early yesterday morning when a man threw her from her subway train... A passenger saw the woman hanging from the side of the train between cars ..."
Homeless Man Dies on Rail Fleeing Pursuers in Subway "A 35-year-old homeless man was electrocuted yesterday when he ran onto
subway tracks while trying to escape a group of teenagers who had
harassed him on an Upper West Side subway platform, the police said."
Subway Car Hits Woman After Robber Pushes Her "A woman who chased a purse-snatcher through a moving subway train was pushed onto the tracks by her assailant in a Brooklyn station on Saturday, the transit police said. She was then struck by a train as it pulled into the station .. " The victim died a few days later.
Man Shoots Assailant Then Tries to Save Him In this incident an armed off-duty court officer was attacked by a knife-wielding assailant who stabbed him four times, once in the chest. The officer then shot the perpetrator and both went down on the tracks. The officer survived, but his assailant did not.
Old Man Thrown on Tracks by Mugger He was rescued by another passenger.
Girl Saved From Subway Track She was rescued by witnesses and her assailant charged with attempted murder.
Subway Incident Ends in Death "A 39-year-old man, apparently trying to flee from a group of teen-age
attackers, was killed yesterday morning when he fell beneath a moving
subway train, the transit police said."
Subway Slaying Victim Identified As a Music Student He was attacked by two youths, stabbed and pushed onto the tracks. He was helped back on the platform by others but died from his wounds.
Subway Kills Man; Suspect Arrested "A man was pushed to his death in front of a subway train yesterday and a
suspect was arrested a short time later after a witness pointed him
out, the police said."
The point of listing these witnessed crimes is to make clear what veteran subway riders suspect and experienced transit police officials and MTA management know: for years New York City subway criminals have used trains and third rails as deadly weapons.
I suggest readers consider this question: "What
if there had been no witnesses to these killings?" In my opinion their deaths would have prompted a
"No evidence of foul play" response from the police (see, for relevant examples, my summary of twenty-five unwitnessed deaths in 2012) and each would have been classified as "accident."
© 2014 by James Graham
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