NYC subway push attack suspect faces judge as victim recovers
NEW YORK — A man who allegedly pushed another man onto train tracks at a New York City subway station faced a judge Wednesday morning.
Police say 23-year-old Kamel Hawkins pushed a 45-year-old man off the platform and into the path of a 1 train at the 18th Street station in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood Tuesday afternoon.
Hawkins was arraigned in court on charges of attempted murder and assault. He was ordered held without bail.
The New York City Police Department says Hawkins has prior arrests dating back to Oct. 19, 2024 for aggravated harassment and June of 2019 for assault on a police officer.
NYC subway push victim alert, talking, loved ones say
The victim suffered a fractured skull, broken ribs and ruptured spleen.
Family and friends arrived at Bellevue Hospital on Wednesday. Some were from out of state, including Florida where they say the victim lived before moving to New York City.
The victim's loved ones asked for privacy but told CBS News New York he is awake, alert, talking and on track for a full recovery. They also say the victim is aware the entire incident was caught on video.
"We can't be OK with this being the new status quo"
The victim, a music professional, lives in Hell's Kitchen, which is part of the district for City Council Member Erik Bottcher.
"If you look at the video, you wonder how he could have survived, so against all odds, he is going to survive," he said.
Bottcher says reducing violent crime in the subway system may depend on judicial and health care reforms.
"Crime overall is up 30 percent from pre-pandemic levels ... We can't be OK with this being the new status quo," he said. "Much of our criminal justice and mental health policy is set at the state level. The state legislature needs to do a forensic examination of all of these laws."
Bottcher also wants the state to cut through red tape to fast-track new in-patient mental health facilities and restore order to an environment some describe as increasingly dangerous.
