NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Police identified the suspect who allegedly pushed a woman onto the tracks during an attempted robbery at a Manhattan station Friday as 32-year-old Carlos Ortiz.
Ortiz, who is homeless, has been charged with assault, authorities said.
A subway operator and some helpful bystanders both helped bring the victim to safety after Ortiz allegedly tried to take a woman’s bag, and then pushed her onto the tracks.
The incident happened just before 2 p.m. at the Times Square-42nd Street R train platform.
Witnesses were able to get the woman back on the platform, who was brought to a hospital after being left “pretty banged up,” according to acting MTA Chair Janno Liber.
MTA officials said the operator’s quick thinking to stop his train also helped the victim escape without more serious injuries.
“I don’t know exactly how close it was, but you can imagine how scary that moment is that we have really talented professionals driving the trains,” said Lieber.
Witnesses also helped bring the alleged suspect to justice by grabbing him and holding him before being taken into custody, according to officials.
Lieber said he has spoken to Gov. Kathy Hochul about possibly adding more NYPD members at subway stations. He said while the governor is seeking more MTA police, he denoted that subways are “principally patrolled by the NYPD.”
“And we need them to not just increase numbers, but to get out onto the platforms, to be more visible, especially in areas that are crowded or people feel unsafe like subway platforms,” said Lieber.
The incident is the second of its kind in just over 24 hours. A woman was shoved onto the tracks at the 7th Avenue B train platform Thursday morning.
And a 29-year-old Queens woman is facing an attempted murder charge after shoving a woman into an oncoming train at the same station, but on the 1/2/3/ train platform last month.
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