Police: Woman pushed onto subway tracks in unprovoked attack at Chambers Street station in Manhattan
NEW YORK -- Police say a woman was shoved onto the subway tracks in an unprovoked attack Tuesday night in Lower Manhattan.
It happened shortly after 11 p.m. on the No. 2 line at the Chambers Street station.
As trains continued to roll through the station on Wednesday, memories of what happened the night before were still fresh.
David Wordell's wife works with 34-year-old Xu Yanan, the woman police say was pushed.
"He came up to her and just pushed her onto the tracks," Wordell said. "It was unprovoked. No reason. So we're trying to get to the bottom of it."
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Investigators said bystanders helped Yanan climb back onto the platform. Paramedics then took her to New York-Presbyterian Hospital with an injured leg.
"She's okay, just very shaken up, of course. She was pushed onto the tracks!" Wordell said.
Investigators said they have found no indication it was a bias crime, but some riders said they are convinced there's a connection.
"It's a huge problem, not just safety, but discrimination toward Asian hate," subway rider Ayla Suhana said. "Something has to be done. People aren't safe. This is Lower Manhattan/Tribeca. This shouldn't be happening."
Police described the suspect as a light-skinned man in his 40s with black hair who was last seen wearing a red shirt and tan work boots.
"It's so unfortunate that we're living in the times that we are. I take the train every day and I'm very alert, look around me and behind me," subway rider Jada Downs told CBS New York during the Wedbesday morning commute. "Hopefully, they catch him so that he won't push anybody else on the tracks. It's unfortunate that it happened."
"He could be anywhere right now and push somebody again and do more stuff to other people," added rider Suzette Romero.
On Thursday, police arrested 41-year-old Samuel Junker and charged him with felony assault.
According to the NYPD, overall crime in transit is down 4.5% from last year and felony assaults are down 0.8% from last year.