Officials from the police said that a hammer attack on New York City’s subway system left one with serious injuries and is being investigated as possible hate crime.
According to a New York City Police Department official, the victim and suspect, both Asians, were at the 14th Street Station around 9:30 PM Tuesday when they met on the platform.
After a verbal dispute, the suspect pulled out a hammer to hit the victim in the head. The suspect was seen wearing a red jacket and shoes. He fled the scene. As of Wednesday afternoon, no arrests had been made.
This attack comes just weeks after Eric Adams, Mayor of New York, and Gov. Kathy Hochul presented a new plan to reduce violence in public transit.
Adams and Hochul announced that the plan would address safety concerns, support people experiencing homelessness or serious mental illness, and crack down on aggressive behavior by subway riders.
Hochul stated in a statement that “for too long our mental healthcare system suffered from disinvestment” and that the pandemic has made it harder for New Yorkers suffering from serious mental illness, who are experiencing homelessness.
“We must all work together to keep New York City’s subways safe for all riders and to provide help and assistance to those who are in greatest need.”
NBC New York reports that crime has increased by 30 percent in the city’s transit system, with felony assaults almost doubling. According to NYPD data, 55 major crimes were committed on the transit system during the week ending February 21, compared with 42 the week before. The news station reported that there were 18 incidents in the same week last years.
