An A train rider was critically injured during a random attack by two strangers in Ozone Park during the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 11.
Police from the 106th Precinct in Ozone Park and Transit District 23 are looking for two suspects who began arguing with the 35-year-old man who was aboard a southbound A train at the 104th subway station at 4:15 p.m.
The argument escalated into violence when the two assailants began to punch him repeatedly in the face, causing the man to fall to the floor of the subway car, police said. The assault intensified when the perpetrators began to kick him multiple times before running off the train at the 104th Street station and were last seen fleeing the scene on foot in an unknown direction. The victim was removed to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition.
The NYPD released surveillance images of the suspects on Friday and described them as having dark complexions. One wore a bright red Nike sweatshirt and matching sweatpants with a Friars logo in white lettering on the left thigh. He had his dreads pulled back by a black headband or visor and had a thin beard and mustache. The second attacker wore a blue Nike hooded sweatshirt and cutoff blue jeans shorts with black flip-flops and black socks.
A reward of up to $3,500 is being offered for information that leads to their arrest.
Anyone with information regarding this assault investigation is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
Through Sept. 8, the 106th Precinct has reported 273 assaults so far in 2024, 30 more than the 243 reported at the same point last year, an increase of 12.3%, according to the most recent CompStat report. The precinct also reported 17 transit crimes so far this year, matching the same number of transit crimes at the same point last year, according to CompStat.
