New York Post Subway Murder Photo Draws Strong Reaction From Readers
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Many readers reacted with outrage Tuesday at the front cover photo on the New York Post, which shows subway murder victim Ki-Suk Han hanging from the platform just before he was struck and killed by a train.
The cover features a full-page photo showing the Q train pulling into the 49th Street station as Han hangs by his hands, with a headline superimposed over the photo – "Pushed onto the subway track, this man is about to die: DOOMED."
• See The Cover Photo (Warning: Graphic Image)
In its story on the incident, the Post included a quote from the photographer, freelancer R. Umar Abbasi, who had been waiting on the platform at the time. He told the Post that he fired off his flash repeatedly to warn the driver of the man on the tracks.
But the train did not stop, and ended up crushing Han "like a rag doll," Abbasi told the New York Post.
Despite Abbasi's explanation, his photo, and the New York Post's choice to run it, drew outrage on Twitter Tuesday.
"I like a tabloid frolic as much as anyone, but I felt implicated when I looked at NYPost subway death trip photo," tweeted New York Times columnist David Carr.
"Really NY Post?? Really?? Couldn't the photog have put the camera down and tried to help??: tweeted Matt Stepp.
"New Yorkers: DO NOT EVER BUY THE NY POST AGAIN. They put a man about to die on their cover today. That's not news, that's snuff porn. Sick," tweeted Francis Lam.
But not all the tweets opposed the choice to run the photo. Some said the photographer was not in a position to rescue Han and should not be taken to task.
"Having a hard time being enraged about ny post train photo," tweeted James daSilva. "Doesn't seem photog could have saved him, photo is immensely newsworthy."
On Tuesday evening, the NYPD was questioning a suspect – identified as Naeem Davis, 30 – in connection with the incident. Witnesses said following an argument with the assailant, Han was shoved off the platform and ended up on the tracks.
The victim hit the tracks, then tried to scramble back onto the platform, but was struck and killed by the approaching Q train. Police said Han's body was crushed in the narrow space between the train and the platform.
On Tuesday, police Commissioner Ray Kelly addressed the question of why bystanders did not come to Han's rescue even though witnesses said he tried to get back on the platform.
"I don't know, I wasn't there, I can't comment on that. I don't know how fast the train was coming in," Kelly said.
A $12,000 reward was being offered in the case.
Do you think the New York Post should have run the photo? Leave your comments below...
