Some people say it’s still safe to ride the New York City subway. Some beg to differ.
Ask David Martin, 32. He was on the Manhattan-bound platform of the “L” train at a Brooklyn, New York City subway station on Friday afternoon.
At around 2:45 pm, he was pushed onto the tracks by a man, Lamale McRae, 41. It occurred out-of-the-blue.
He managed to get out of the way of an oncoming subway train in the nick of time. One minute later, the train pulled into the station.
The attacker, McRae, fled the scene.
By-standers quickly helped him avoid the oncoming train, that was scheduled to arrive at 2:46 pm, uncharacteristically, and unfortunately in this case, on-time.
When McRae ran away, he pushed an eight-year-old boy to the ground.
The man who fell to the tracks, Martin, was injured in the fall. He had a broken collarbone and a sprained shoulder, as well as bruising, according to court records.
McRae was caught on video surveillance, and was arrested and charged with attempted murder, reckless endangerment and harassment.
Roaming the streets and with severe mental health issues, McRae has been arrested 20 times in the past. A cousin, who used to allow the man to reside with him, said, “They kept sending him to the hospital, but they kept letting him go. He’d stay a week and they’d let him go. He’s ill. He’s not a criminal — he’s ill. He started spiraling when his mother passed away a couple years ago.”
The woman said that she had to kick her cousin out because he was hostile and erratic. She says he has been living on the street, as far as she knows.
The homeless man was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court and a psychological evaluation was ordered.
What are the chances he will be out on the street again?
Last month a man was released from NYC Police Department custody after threatening people in a McDonald’s Restaurant with an axe.