NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A homeless man has been indicted for a "brutal" and unprovoked attack on a woman who was exiting the subway at the Howard Beach-JFK Airport stop last week, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Friday.
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According to the charges, Waheed Foster, 41, struck Elizabeth Gomes, 33, in the head with a hard object as she was exiting the subway station on Sept. 20 between 5:15 and 5:45 a.m.
When Gomes attempted to flee, Foster can be seen in the widely-shared surveillance video grabbing and throwing her onto the floor, up against an unoccupied toll booth. Once on the ground, Foster allegedly kicked Gomes forcefully several times in the face and body.
According to prosecutors, a good Samaritan is seen on surveillance video trying to stop the attack, but Foster chases him away and carries on with his assault. Foster then allegedly walks away from the victim, leaving her in a pool of blood on the floor.
"We have had enough. There are basic rights that New Yorkers should have in this City, and one of them is the right to safety when commuting to work, using the subway to take our children to school, and knowing we can safely come home to our families," Katz said in a statement. "In Queens, my Office will not tolerate those who choose to rob us of these freedoms."
Gomes underwent emergency eye surgery to repair a ruptured right globe at a nearby Queens hospital. However, as a result of the attack, she has lost vision in that eye.
A Queens grand jury on Thursday returned a seven-count indictment charging Forster with attempted murder, first-degree assault, three counts of second-degree assault and two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Foster is awaiting arraignment on the indictment in Queens County Supreme Court. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
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