Horror on the Tracks: Man Arrested for Attempted Murder After Random Passerby Is Pushed In Front of Subway Train
A subway passenger in New York City was critically injured on Tuesday afternoon after another man reportedly shoved him in front of a train, marking the latest of several recent disturbing incidents on subways in the Big Apple.
Kamel Hawkins, a 23-year-old from Brooklyn, has been charged with attempted murder and assault after allegedly pushing a 45-year-old fellow commuter from the platform on New Year’s Eve, according to a report from CBS News.
The outlet obtained surveillance video showing the victim looking at his phone while standing on the platform. Hawkins appeared to have walked past the victim before returning to stand behind him a few seconds later.
He then appeared to shove the man in front of a train as the vehicle arrived at the platform.
Police do not have any reason to believe that the alleged perpetrator knew the victim or had interacted with him before the shocking attack, per CBS News.
The victim suffered a skull fracture and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Firefighters pulled him from the tracks after an onlooker shouted, “He’s alive! He’s alive,” the New York Post reported.
Hawkins, described as a “lunatic,” was arrested hours after the incident, police said.
He has had several previous encounters with law enforcement, such as a 2019 incident in which he slammed a police officer to the ground, giving the officer a back injury.
A witness to the New Year’s Eve incident told CBS News that the victim was pushed “right at the last second, right in front of the train.”
“Just shoved right up in front of the train,” the witness said. “The older man who was pushed just walked slowly to the platform, perfect timing. The other man who pushed him was walking slowly towards him and shoved him, the last second.”
WARNING: The following video contains an act of violence that may be disturbing for some readers.
NYC subway shover is 23-year-old Kamel Hawkins and he’s just been charged with attempted m*rder for shoving a 45-year-old man in front of a train at the 18th Street station today.
The victim will reportedly survive. pic.twitter.com/kouKZbhqzK
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) January 1, 2025
New York Democratic Mayor Eric Adams issued a statement about the incident on social media platform X.
“An innocent bystander was the victim of an appalling act of violence at the 18th street subway stop today,” he wrote. “Due to the quick efforts of the NYPD, a suspect has already been taken into custody.”
“My heart goes out to the victim and their family, and I pray for their recovery,” Adams added.
Adams said that violence has “absolutely no place on our subway system,” claiming the acts of violence are “rare” while admitting that they leave residents of New York City “unsettled.”
But just over one week before the attack, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala allegedly lit a homeless woman ablaze on another subway train car. That woman died.
“The suspect used what we believe to be a lighter to ignite the victim’s clothing, which became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said of the incident.
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