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Video: Woman Flees After Allegedly Shoving Man To His Death In Front Of 7 Train
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 28, 2012
Modified Dec 28, 2012
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By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 28, 2012
Modified Dec 28, 2012
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Last night, a man was killed after being pushed in front of a Queens-bound 7 train at the 40th Street station in Queens. Witnesses told police that a woman had been "walking back and forth on the platform, talking to herself" before she shoved the man at 8:04 p.m. One, Tenzing Tegeng, said to the Post, "This lady, she just pushed the guy on the tracks. Then she ran away. I was screaming and closing my eyes. I knew he was gonna get hit by the train. That’s why I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see it." Police released video of the suspect:
Tegeng added, "I could see him, and I could see a train coming. And I couldn’t do anything. I was so helpless. He was trying to get up. It was so fast," and noted that the victim and suspect didn't interact with each other. Tegeng and others on the platform tried to chase the woman, "She was so fast. I was like, ‘Stop the lady!’"
The suspect is described as a Hispanic woman, about 5'5" and heavy-set, with brown or blonde hair, wearing a blue, white and grey ski jacket and Nike sneakers, grey on top, red on bottom. [UPDATE December 28th: here is a sketch, released late Friday.] NYPD spokesman Paul Browne described what police learned:
Witnesses said she was walking back and forth on the platform, talking to herself, before taking a seat alone on a wooden bench near the north end of the platform. When the train pulled into the station, the suspect rose from the bench and pushed the man, who was standing with his back to her, onto the tracks into the path of the train. The victim appeared not to notice her, according to witnesses.
He was struck by the first of the 11-car train, with his body pinned under the front of the second car as the train came to a stop. The suspect fled the platform , down two separate stair cases, one down to the token booth area, and the second down to Queens Blvd and an island there between the roadways. Unknown direction of flight from there.
A level one mobilization was called, with all police units in the area are looking for her. There is no further description on the male at this time due to the extent of his injuries, and the fact his body is still underneath the train. In the immediate aftermath, NYPD detectives and Emergency Service personnel were investigating the scene, including the tracks, with the power turned off for their safety. A decision was made to restore power temporarily to allow three other northbound No. 7 trains, stranded behind the crime scene to proceed past the 40th St station using the center track.
While there was no video at the Sunnyside station, investigators did obtain surveillance video from the street.
Police did not remove the victim's body from the tracks until hours later. The Daily News reports, "At 1:35 am, medical examiners removed the body of the man and carried the body bag down the exit stairs of the 40th street station on the 7 line and loaded it onto a gurney waiting underneath the tracks."
On December 3rd, a man was pushed into the subway tracks at the 49th Street station in midtown Manhattan and killed by an N train. The victim, Ki Suk Han, 58, had been arguing with his attacker, Naeem Davis, he was shoved. Davis has pleaded not guilty, alleging that Han attacked him first.
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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