Police: Caustic liquid thrown on woman in attack in Winthrop Street subway station
NEW YORK - There's been another attack in the subway system. This time in Brooklyn, where a young woman was splashed with a mystery substance that burned her face.
Now police are searching for a suspect, releasing photos and a video taken by the victim.
A health care professional's encounter with another woman turned into a violent attack. The 21-year-old nurse is a burn unit patient Friday night after police say she tangled with the wrong subway rider shortly after 1 a.m. Friday.
Police are looking for this suspect, who was caught on camera by the victim.
Police told CBS2 it happened as the nurse exited a 2 train in the Winthrop Street subway station. The victim said she was being pursued up the stairs, and kept her phone camera rolling. Then police say the suspect pulled out a small container and splashed the victim with an unknown caustic liquid, severely burning the left side of her face.
This is yet another subway assault, making straphangers feel uneasy.
The victim took herself to a Brooklyn hospital then was transferred to the Bronx to the burn unit at Jacobi Hospital.
"No subway rider should be victimized while just trying to get to work. While the NYPD investigation is in early stages, we're assisting in every way possible. This perpetrator needs to face justice and, if appropriate, get serious mental health treatment," an MTA spokesperson said.
According to the latest NYPD systemwide transit crime stats released Tuesday, felony assault in the transit system is up 18.9% or 497 crimes, 2022, vs. 418 crimes, 2021.
Crime in the transit system among eight felony categories is up 33.5% compared to the same period last year.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.