ALBANY, NY- As the surge in violence on the New York City subway system continues, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the deployment of additional officers to patrol the subways.
According to ABC News, on Thursday, January 16th, Hochul announced a plan to help curb rider anxiety that has been rising amid a series of violent, unprovoked attacks on people riding the subways. During a news conference she said, "I'm not waiting. Monday you will start seeing the increased presence on the overnight trains."
Hochul said that the plan, which will cost $77 million, will include an additional 750 officers on platforms and in stations as well as 300 more officers on overnight trains. The governor said, "We've doubled the number of law enforcement personnel in the New York City subway system in one year." She said that most of the crime committed on the subway system happens during the overnight hours.
She said, "There is a lot of anxiety on these trains late at night. I want to tamper that down." The move comes even as New York Police Department (NYPD) statistics reportedly show that crime in the transit system has dropped 36 percent from the same time last year. However, several high-profile recent attacks in the subway system have prompted calls from riders for government leaders to address the problems.
Some of the most recent incidents include when a woman, who was sleeping on a stationary F train at Brooklyn's Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station died after being set on fire. The victim, 57-year-old Debrina Kawam, was homeless and originally from Toms River, New Jersey. The suspect, Sebastian Zapeta, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, was arrested after a brief manhunt.
He has been charged with first-and second-degree murder and arson. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges. That incident took place on December 22, 2024. On Christmas Eve, just two days later, a man allegedly used a knife to slash a man and a woman at Manhattan's Grand Central subway station. The suspect is facing assault and menacing charges. He was arrested on assault, reckless endangerment, menacing, harassment, disorderly conduct, and a weapons charge after the attack.
The attack left a 42-year-old man with an injured wrist and a 26-year-old woman with a neck injury. A week later, on New Year's Eve, a 45-year-old man was shoved onto subway tracks ahead of an oncoming train at the West 18th Street station in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. The victim, Joseph Lynskey, survived the attack and is expected to make a full recovery.
The whole incident was caught on surveillance video and the suspect, identified as 23-year-old Kamel Hawkins, was taken into custody. He has been charged with attempted murder and assault. On Wednesday, January 15th, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the indictment of a 23-year-old man in the slashing attack that occurred in December at the 50th Street subway station in Manhattan.
The suspect, Orsen Reyes, allegedly stomped on a 48-year-old man's head and slashed him with a knife. Reyes has been indicted on charges of first-degree assault, three counts of assault in the second-degree, and three counts of criminal possession of a weapon. He has pleaded not guilty.
In a statement Bragg said, "New Yorkers deserve to be safe in our subway system and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat transit crime. I hope the victim continues to heal from this horrifying assault." Hochul's latest move comes after she ordered New York National Guard troops and New York State police troopers to be deployed into the subway system to help riders feel safe. The deployment came after six people were shot, one fatally, at a subway station in the Bronx on February 13, 2024.
In addition to the deployment of police, Law Enforcement Today previously reported on how the Guardian Angels are also resuming patrol of the New York City subway systems to help combat the violence. The group, a volunteer crime-prevention group, will deploy over 150 of its members just to the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station. Hundreds of other members will be patrolling other stations.
According to ABC News, on Thursday, January 16th, Hochul announced a plan to help curb rider anxiety that has been rising amid a series of violent, unprovoked attacks on people riding the subways. During a news conference she said, "I'm not waiting. Monday you will start seeing the increased presence on the overnight trains."
Hochul said that the plan, which will cost $77 million, will include an additional 750 officers on platforms and in stations as well as 300 more officers on overnight trains. The governor said, "We've doubled the number of law enforcement personnel in the New York City subway system in one year." She said that most of the crime committed on the subway system happens during the overnight hours.
She said, "There is a lot of anxiety on these trains late at night. I want to tamper that down." The move comes even as New York Police Department (NYPD) statistics reportedly show that crime in the transit system has dropped 36 percent from the same time last year. However, several high-profile recent attacks in the subway system have prompted calls from riders for government leaders to address the problems.
Some of the most recent incidents include when a woman, who was sleeping on a stationary F train at Brooklyn's Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station died after being set on fire. The victim, 57-year-old Debrina Kawam, was homeless and originally from Toms River, New Jersey. The suspect, Sebastian Zapeta, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, was arrested after a brief manhunt.
He has been charged with first-and second-degree murder and arson. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges. That incident took place on December 22, 2024. On Christmas Eve, just two days later, a man allegedly used a knife to slash a man and a woman at Manhattan's Grand Central subway station. The suspect is facing assault and menacing charges. He was arrested on assault, reckless endangerment, menacing, harassment, disorderly conduct, and a weapons charge after the attack.
The attack left a 42-year-old man with an injured wrist and a 26-year-old woman with a neck injury. A week later, on New Year's Eve, a 45-year-old man was shoved onto subway tracks ahead of an oncoming train at the West 18th Street station in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. The victim, Joseph Lynskey, survived the attack and is expected to make a full recovery.
The whole incident was caught on surveillance video and the suspect, identified as 23-year-old Kamel Hawkins, was taken into custody. He has been charged with attempted murder and assault. On Wednesday, January 15th, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the indictment of a 23-year-old man in the slashing attack that occurred in December at the 50th Street subway station in Manhattan.
The suspect, Orsen Reyes, allegedly stomped on a 48-year-old man's head and slashed him with a knife. Reyes has been indicted on charges of first-degree assault, three counts of assault in the second-degree, and three counts of criminal possession of a weapon. He has pleaded not guilty.
In a statement Bragg said, "New Yorkers deserve to be safe in our subway system and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat transit crime. I hope the victim continues to heal from this horrifying assault." Hochul's latest move comes after she ordered New York National Guard troops and New York State police troopers to be deployed into the subway system to help riders feel safe. The deployment came after six people were shot, one fatally, at a subway station in the Bronx on February 13, 2024.
In addition to the deployment of police, Law Enforcement Today previously reported on how the Guardian Angels are also resuming patrol of the New York City subway systems to help combat the violence. The group, a volunteer crime-prevention group, will deploy over 150 of its members just to the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station. Hundreds of other members will be patrolling other stations.
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