Within the days since New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared New York Metropolis’s subways had improved in security, a girl was burned alive, a person was pushed in entrance of an oncoming prepare and gangs of unlawful immigrants have robbed straphangers.
Simply earlier than Christmas, the Democrat took to X to assert that, since March, she has taken motion to make subways “safer for the thousands and thousands of people that take the trains every day.”
“Since deploying the [New York National Guard] to assist [the NYPD] and MTA, security efforts and including cameras to all subway automobiles, crime goes down, and ridership goes up,” she wrote on Dec. 22.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), whereas principally serving the 5 boroughs, Lengthy Island and Decrease Hudson Valley suburbs, is a state-operated, not city-operated, company.
Nevertheless, in that quick time, an illegal immigrant set a girl on hearth on an F prepare, a person miraculously survived being shoved in entrance of a 1 prepare and Venezuelan gang members have been robbing straphangers at will.
In Coney Island, Guatemalan nationwide Sebastian Zapeta was charged with homicide after allegedly lighting a Toms River, New Jersey, lady on hearth whereas she slept on board an F prepare on the Stillwell Avenue Terminal. That incident occurred the morning of Dec. 22, hours earlier than Hochul’s put up.
The sufferer, Debrina Kawam, as soon as labored for Merck Prescribed drugs within the early 2000s however had extra lately lived in a New York Metropolis homeless shelter.
Zapeta’s arraignment has been set for Tuesday. He instructed the NYPD he overindulges in alcohol and “doesn’t know what occurred,” in accordance with NBC Information.
“My workplace could be very assured in regards to the proof on this case and our capability to carry Zapeta accountable for his dastardly deeds,” Kings County Democratic District Lawyer Eric Gonzalez stated of the case.
Earlier this week, 23-year-old Kamel Hawkins of Brooklyn allegedly shoved an unsuspecting straphanger into the trail of a South Ferry-bound 1 prepare at W 18th Avenue Station in Chelsea.
Hawkins initially received away however was quickly caught close to Columbus Circle and Central Park, in accordance with experiences. The injured sufferer’s survival was lauded as a miracle, as he fell right into a “trench” between the tracks because the prepare ran over him and was ambulanced to a hospital with head accidents.
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Hawkins had prior arrests for body-slamming a police officer in Queens. His father, Shamel Hawkins, instructed the New York Submit, “We expect someone put one thing in his weed.”
Shamel Hawkins stated Kamel had been “performing bizarre” lately and that he “wants assist” however continues to refuse to hunt it.
On New Yr’s Day, WPIX reported two separate unprovoked subway stabbing incidents throughout daytime on the West Facet. A 30-year-old man was reportedly stabbed within the head and hip awaiting a 1 prepare at 110 Avenue and Broadway. The station is in in any other case one of many safer areas of Manhattan, close to Columbia College, St. John’s Cathedral and the diner made well-known in the sitcom “Seinfeld.”
One other man was stabbed whereas awaiting a 2 prepare at 14th Avenue and seventh Avenue that very same day, in accordance with the outlet.
In the meantime, authorities discovered 22 Tren de Aragua migrant gang members throughout a raid on a residence in Crotona Park, Bronx final month. Federal regulation enforcement had tracked the ankle monitor of Jarwin Valero-Calderon – a Venezuelan nationwide initially arrested in Nassau County and underneath a deportation order – to the constructing.
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Hochul stated in an X video on her account, referred to as “This Week in New York,” that her “five-point plan to enhance subway security” has led to total subway crime dropping 10% since March 2023.
Hochul additionally stated she’s going to deploy 250 extra Nationwide Guard members to participate in Joint Job Power: Empire Protect.
In its December report on November’s crime stats, the NYPD listed subway crime as having decreased 15% that month from 240 reported incidents to 202 and a year-to-date lower of 6% from 2,137 to 2,002.
The NYPD stated the subways noticed their most secure year-to-date determine in additional than a decade.
“We’re all on this collectively, and whereas the downward tendencies in violence and dysfunction throughout New York Metropolis are extremely encouraging as we enter the ultimate month of 2024, now we have much more work to do to ship the general public security that New Yorkers deserve,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch stated in a Dec. 3 assertion.
Nevertheless, New Yorkers total felt much less protected on the MTA as of late.
“Kathy Hochul must resign,” commentator Chaya Raichik – or “LibsOfTikTok”—wrote on X after chronicling a number of the latest subway incidents, and claiming a number of the latest underground robberies have been dedicated by Tren de Aragua gang members.
“In fact she gained’t resign. These folks care solely about their energy and the perks,” FOX Enterprise host David Asman wrote in a reply. “Solely New Yorkers can eliminate her.”
“Daniel Penny for governor,” one other X person commented, referring to the person acquitted within the dying of a crazed straphanger who had been menacing passengers earlier this yr.
MTA Chairman Janno Lieber pledged during a March transit board meeting “we’re not going again” to the mid-Twentieth century when the subway was extremely unsafe. “It is a nightmare for New Yorkers,” he stated after studying Carlton McPherson – whom neighbors described to the Submit as “slightly off” – had lately fatally shoved a person in entrance of a Woodlawn-bound 4 prepare on 125 Avenue in Harlem.
MTA Chairman Janno Lieber and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. (Getty)
Mayor Eric Adams additionally addressed the general public sentiment in remarks earlier this yr.
“Public security is the precise security and it is how individuals are feeling,” he stated in March. “We all know now we have over 4 million riders a day and a dependable system. We all know now we have roughly six felonies a day trip of these 4 million riders. But when they do not really feel protected, then we’re not carrying out our activity.”
“Stats do not matter if folks do not imagine they’re in a protected setting,” he stated, in accordance with WNBC.
Lieber said on the March assembly he wouldn’t be “surrendering our metropolis to anybody.”
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