QUEENS, NY — Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the guilty plea of Waheed Foster in connection with a brutal subway assault that left a woman permanently blinded in one eye. The attack occurred in September 2020 at the Howard Beach/JFK station. Foster, 44, admitted to attempted murder for his role in the violent episode which happened as the victim, Elizabeth Gomes, was commuting to work.
Foster was homeless at the time of the incident.
According to the District Attorney, this heinous act underscores the urgent need to protect commuters. “The brutality and random nature of this attack is unconscionable,” Katz stated. The prosecution has built a compelling case, aimed at securing justice and closure for the survivor of this grievous assault.
Foster, who was without a permanent residence at the time of the incident, entered his plea today before Judge Ira Margulis. He faces a 22-year prison sentence and five years of supervised release thereafter, with the sentencing scheduled for June 24.
The indictment against Foster included charges of first-degree assault, three counts of second-degree assault, and two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. His arraignment took place in January after evaluations confirmed his mental fitness for trial.
The incident on September 20, 2022, began early at 5:30 AM when Foster followed Gomes as she alighted from a train. He attacked her with a hard object and continued the assault with punches and kicks even as she tried to escape, as captured on surveillance footage. A bystander attempted to intervene but retreated after Foster confronted him.
Gomes required emergency surgery following the assault, during which she lost her right eye. The case has drawn attention to safety concerns on New York City’s subway system, where millions rely on daily transportation.