Commuter killed after being pushed in front of moving NYC subway train in unprovoked attack

The person was pronounced dead shortly after and a suspect, described as an emotionally disturbed person, was taken into custody

A commuter was fatally struck and killed by a Manhattan subway train on Monday after being pushed onto the tracks by an emotionally disturbed person in an unprovoked attack, according to police and sources.

The victim was shoved onto the tracks as a northbound 4 train was entering the East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue station in East Harlem just before 7 p.m., according to police sources.

The train couldn't stop in time and fatally struck the victim, an adult male whose identity has not been disclosed. The man was pronounced dead shortly after, and a suspect, described as emotionally disturbed, was apprehended. Charges are pending.

The victim was struck and killed by a Manhattan subway train Monday after being shoved onto the tracks in an unprovoked attack.

This tragic incident comes amidst a surge of violent crime within the city’s subway system, including a recent high-profile deadly shooting on a crowded train car in Brooklyn.

Felony assaults in the subway system saw a 53% increase last year from pre-pandemic times, with 570 such attacks in 2023 compared to 373 in 2019, data shows. The reasons behind this alarming trend are not entirely clear, but some incidents, possibly including Monday’s deadly assault, point to mental illness as a potential contributing factor.

The victim was pushed onto the tracks as a northbound 4 train was entering the East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue station in East Harlem.

Half of the assaults on MTA workers in the subway system last year involved suspects suffering from mental illness. Of the 38 individuals charged with 41 separate assaults on transit system employees, 20 had documented psychological issues, according to a Post investigation. Many of these individuals also had a criminal history.

The alleged perpetrator of Monday’s incident was identified by sources as 45-year-old Carlton McPherson, who had a prior assault arrest from October 2023. He was released on bond and is expected back in court in July.

Service on the 4/5/6 trains was severely disrupted and rerouted to other tracks as a result, stated the MTA.

The train was unable to stop in time and fatally struck the individual, whose identity has not been released.

The East Harlem station was heavily patrolled by police on Monday night as the victim’s body was removed in a white body bag on a stretcher. Several top transit officials, including NYPD Transit Chief Mike Kempter, MTA Chairman Janno Leiber, and NYC Transit President Richard Davey, were also seen at the station following the tragedy.

Earlier in the day, Kempter and other NYPD leaders announced that the department would deploy an additional 800 officers into subway stations over the next five days to address fare evasion, citing that such measures have helped reduce more violent crimes.