NEW YORK, NY – Another elderly New Yorker has been randomly attacked while riding the subway system.
A 73-year-old woman became the latest victim of subway violence in New York City after she was struck in the face in an unprovoked attack early Monday morning, according to the New York City Police Department.
The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. as the woman awaited a northbound R train at the 57th Street–Seventh Avenue station. A man, believed to be in his 20s, approached the senior citizen and punched her without any apparent reason before fleeing the scene, police said.
The victim was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was treated for swelling to her left eye and subsequently released. As of Monday morning, no arrests had been made in connection to the attack. “The search for the assailant is ongoing, and we are following multiple leads,” stated a police spokesperson.
The attack on the elderly woman occurred on the heels of a similar violent incident that took place less than a week prior. A 70-year-old man was assaulted and robbed upon exiting an N train at West 32nd Street and Broadway, according to authorities.
These back-to-back attacks highlight a growing concern over the safety of the city’s subway system, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Officials have yet to confirm if the two incidents are related, but they do contribute to an unsettling trend of random violence on the city’s public transit network. Law enforcement agencies are ramping up efforts to address safety concerns, but many residents continue to question the effectiveness of these measures.