A New York City Subway fare evader stabbed two men who tried to follow him without paying through the security gate of a Queens station, leaving one seriously injured.
The shooter entered the Parsons Blvd. F train station in the Jamaica neighborhood without paying through the emergency gate around 3:20 am Jan. 1, police said yesterday. The two victims tried to slip out of the door that was closing behind him, leading to the stabbing.
A 26-year-old man was stabbed in the abdomen and is in critical condition. The other victim, a 28-year-old man, was shot in the biceps. Doctors took both victims to Jamaica Hospital, where the older one was treated and released, while the latter remained hospitalized.
NYPD released a surveillance photo of the suspect yesterday, asking for the public’s help in identifying and locating him. He was described as between 30 and 40 years old with a medium build, reported Daily News.
No arrests have been made or suspects identified. Anyone with information should call 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) and in Spanish 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Also through crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or by text message to 274637 (CRIMES), followed by TIP577. All communications are strictly confidential.
2023 began violently, after in 2022 serious crimes, including homicides, rapes and robberies, increased 40% in the Subway compared to the previous year, according to the latest statistics from the New York police.
Mayor Eric Adams has announced several times since taking office a year ago that he would double the number of NYPD officers in the subway system in a beefed-up security plan to deal with violence. But so far crime has continued to rise.
At the same time, MTA faces millions in losses due to the increasing number of users who access the Metro and buses without paying.