Surveillance image of a hooded person with face blurred, wearing a light-colored jacket and pink shirt, with a police badge overlay in the corner.

Subway escalator grope sparks manhunt in Jackson Heights

Queens, NY — A morning commute inside a busy Queens transit hub turned into a reported sex crime Tuesday when a woman was grabbed from behind on an escalator before the suspect slipped away into the station.

The incident occurred around 6:40 a.m. inside the Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue subway station, within the confines of the NYPD’s 115th Precinct and Transit District 20. According to NYPD Crimestoppers, a 31-year-old woman was standing on an escalator when an unidentified individual positioned behind her touched and grabbed her buttocks.

The individual fled the location immediately after the contact, leaving the station and heading to an unknown destination. No description of the suspect has been released.

The victim’s condition was not disclosed. The investigation remains ongoing as officials seek to identify the individual involved.

The NYPD is asking anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted online or through the department’s official social media channels.

Key Points

Woman, 31, reported forcible touching on subway escalator in Queens
Incident occurred Tuesday morning at Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue station
Suspect fled and remains unidentified

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Chris Quigley is a Staff Writer and Community News Correspondent for Shore News Network, where she covers local government, public safety, community affairs, politics, and issues impacting residents throughout New Jersey. Her reporting focuses on delivering timely, accurate, and relevant news that helps readers stay informed about the communities in which they live and work.

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Through her work at Shore News Network, Chris Quigley contributes to the organization's mission of providing trusted local news coverage, accountability reporting, and community-focused journalism throughout New Jersey.

Chris Quigley is a graduate of Stockton State University and began her career at IN Jersey, the online news and media branch of the Asbury Park Press. She also worked at Monmouth Internet, the Ocean Signal Newspaper, and JTOWN Magazine during her career in both content management and operations.

Degrees: Business B.A. - Stockton University

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