NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that the NYPD will be increasing patrols in the city’s subway system after a number of incidents in which a person was shoved onto the tracks.
Last week, two people were shoved onto the subway tracks, prompting New York City Transit Interim President Sarah Feinberg to call for most police patrols.
On Sunday, a third incident occurred at the No. 4 train Atlantic Avenue subway station in Brooklyn.
Police say a 29-year-old man was onboard a northbound 4 train when a man began to yell at him. When the train arrived at Atlantic Avenue, the 29-year-old left the train and the unidentified man followed.
According to authorities, the man then shoved the victim off the platform, onto the southbound train tracks.
The victim refused medical attention and was able to remove himself from the tracks without assistance as the unknown man fled the scene.
New York City public officials, including Mayor de Blasio, say the series of attacks are related to mental health issues.
“First thing we've got to do is find people and get them help before something like this happens and we need medical intervention, which our city agencies will do,” the mayor said. “If we find someone that we think might be a threat to themselves or others, we're going to get them to a medical facility, get them tested and evaluated. If it is someone who should not, by law, be on the streets, we’re certainly gonna act.”
The Guardian Angels, which have been increasing patrols across New York City recently, also told NY1 that they will be patrolling the subways as well.
In a press conference on Sunday, Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the group, said they will be looking for “emotionally disturbed persons” that may be a “menace to themselves and everyone else below ground.
Feinberg, on Friday, noted that she’d like to see people get the help they need and doesn’t want the subway system to fall into chaos.
“I'm not a medical expert, I'm not a doctor, I'm not at a mental health expert but I know that the answer is not to just let people be out of sight, out of mind, Feinberg said. “Just because our system does run underground and because once you enter the system, it might be hard for people on the street to see you, doesn't mean that that should be a haven for people who are experiencing real significant trauma and trouble.”
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