NYPD on hunt for man wanted for punching women in face at multiple Brooklyn train stations
NEW YORK -- Police are searching for a man wanted for punching women in the transit system.
There have been at least four attacks in Brooklyn, with all the victims getting hit in the face.
Police need help identifying the suspect, who for the last two weeks has been terrorizing female riders on trains and subway station platforms.
The first attack happened at 8 a.m. on Oct. 28 at the 95th Street station.
"Of course, it makes me feel unsafe," passenger Phyllis Nichols said.
"Like, why would you want to beat on women in any possible way? we didn't do anything to you," one woman said.
After punching a 46-year-old on a southbound R train, police say the suspect left the station and resurfaced four hours later at the Hoyt Street station, where he hit a 32-year-old woman getting onto a northbound 3 train in the face before running off again.
The spree then resumed three days later at the Atlantic Avenue station. Detectives say a 24-year-old was waiting on the northbound 2 platform on Oct. 31 when she was punched in the face.
The final attack happened on Friday at the Flatbush Avenue station. Police say the suspect first started yelling at a 53-year-old victim on a 2 train before punching her multiple times in the face.
"I mean, I think the MTA should step their standards up with security," said Ethan Quinones of Bay Ridge.
"I know that will cost the city a lot of money, but this is the only way we can be protected," Nichols said.
Overall, transit crime is down 3.6%, according to the latest NYPD statistics. But felony assaults are up 4.5% this year compared to the same period last year and up 25.9% compared to the same period two years ago.
"You see stuff like this every day, especially if you are going to work in the early morning," one person said.
Fortunately, all the victims are expected to be okay, suffering only minor injuries.
Police said the attacks were all unprovoked.
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.
