12/04/2012

Man pushed onto NYC subway tracks, killed by train

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By Shimon Prokupecz and Jonathan Vigliotti, NBCNewYork.com

A man was pushed onto subway tracks and killed by a train in Manhattan after an argument with another traveler Monday afternoon, witnesses and law enforcement sources said.

Police released video and photos of the suspect in the death at 49th Street.

The man who fell on the tracks at the N, Q, R station at Seventh Avenue was hit by a southbound R train at about 12:30 p.m. He was later pronounced dead at nearby St. Luke's Hospital.

Police identified him as 58-year-old Ki-Suck Han of Elmhurst, Queens.

Witnesses told police the other man was mumbling to himself before he and Han began arguing on the platform.

Bystander filmed argument
A bystander captured part of the fight between the two men and turned the video over to police, who released it to the public Monday night.

The man who allegedly pushed Han is heard cursing and saying, in substance, "Leave me alone... stand in line, wait for the R train and that's it."

He then pushed Han on to the tracks, police said. Han tried to climb back up onto the platform a few feet above and died after 

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Mark Lennihan / AP

Uniformed and plainclothes police officers stand outside a New York subway station after a man was killed after falling into the path of a train, Monday, Dec. 3, 2012. Transit officials say police are investigating whether he could have been pushed onto the tracks. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Witness Patrick Gomez, who was in the station, said he heard a "thud that didn't sound normal" when the train pulled into the station.

"People are just standing there in fear and shock, not really knowing what's going on," he said. "Some people started running out of the platform, others just stood there."

He said police evacuated the platform within minutes.

Subway pushes are unusual. Among the more high-profile was the January 1999 death of Kendra Webdale. A former mental patient admitted he shoved her to her death.

Following that, the state Legislature passed Kendra's Law, which lets mental health authorities supervise patients who live outside institutions to make sure they are taking their medications and aren't a threat to safety.

Police are searching for the suspect in the video, last seen wearing a dark jacket, a gray t-shirt and a cap. 

2 comments:

  1. My question is, if someone was capable of video taping the altercation and pushing, why wasn't anyone able to help him up off of the tracks. Was it a deer in the headlight moment?

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  2. Good day! Do you happen to know how to verify that the content of your blog is exclusive in the Internet and there is no such a person who is it without making sure you are aware of it?

    ReplyDelete