A woman who was pushed onto the path of an oncoming train at Times Square subway station was rescued by Good Samaritan bystanders.
The victim had been waiting for a train on the northbound R track platform when a mugger grabbed her purse and pushed her onto tracks as the train arrived at the station on Friday afternoon.
She suffered head and neck injuries and was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, according to a statement from the NYPD.
“The train operator managed to stop the train when he was three to four cars into the station,” MTA acting CEO Janno Lieber told media.
Witnesses jumped onto the tracks and pulled the woman to safety, and prevented the suspect from leaving until police officers could arrive.
The man, who has not yet been named, was believed to be homeless, police said.
“Nobody – no rider, no New Yorker – should have to fear this kind of thing happening,” Mr Lieber said.
Three people have been pushed onto subway tracks in New York in the last week.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she was “horrified” by the incident.
“I’m working with @MTA and our City partners to make our transit system safer,” Ms Hochul said. “No one should ride the train or walk the streets in fear.”
