New York commuter killed after being shoved in front of subway train in random attack

The suspect has an apparent history of mental illness and multiple prior arrests

A man has been charged with murder after a commuter was “unprovokingly” shoved onto the subway tracks in New York City and killed by an oncoming train.

Carlton Mcpherson, 24, was arrested at 9pm on Monday on a murder charge following an incident earlier that evening at the 125 Street and Lexington Avenue subway station in East Harlem, police said.

The NYPD said that they received a 911 call just before 7pm over a male on the tracks.

When officers arrived, they saw an unconscious and unresponsive male who was struck by a northbound 4 train.

Emergency personnel responded to the scene and pronounced the unidentified man dead.

After a preliminary investigation, it was determined that the victim was pushed onto the tracks as the train was entering the station. Police are calling the shoving an “unprovoked attack” that killed the man.

The attack comes hours after the NYPD announced they will increase officers at turnstiles for fare evasion (ABC7)

The NYPD has reportedly responded to incidents in the past where Mr McPherson has been acting erratically, according to ABC7, with authorities saying he also appears to have an alleged history of mental illness.

McPherson most recently had a prior assault arrest in Brooklyn from October 2023 and is awaiting his court appearance in July, the outlet reported.

By 9pm, the train service had resumed at the station, but a large officer presence remained at the scene.

This unprovoked attack is the latest in a string of separate crime incidents that have occurred in the New York subway system.

Earlier this month, Kathy Hochul, the governor of New York, announced she would deploy the national guard within the transport system for increased security reasons and to deter crimes.

Her announcement came less than two weeks before a violent outburst occurred on a moving train in downtown Brooklyn when an “aggressive” passenger got into a confrontation with another man.

Emergency personnel rushed down to the platform where they pronounced the victim dead (ABC7)

The situation ended when the aggressive passenger was shot with his own handgun by the man he was confronting, causing the packed rush hour train to transcend into fear and panic.

Crimes such as these which have made the headlines have made some commuters fearful and frustrated at the incidents happening underground.

“The subway has been insane lately,” Bronx resident Ray Velez told The New York Times, as he waited on the platform two hours after Monday’s attack. “You have to look everywhere now. It’s just out of control.”

Another commuter, who uses that very station often to board trains, told ABC7 that he wants to “be able to trust your fellow citizens, but it’s tough”.

Monday’s horrific attack occurred mere hours after police department officials announced they would be sending 800 police officers to flood the subway with their presence, this time to crack down on fare-evading passengers.

By stopping those who dodge the train fares, police say they hope this will quell crime rates, as those who commit subway crimes often haven’t paid their fares.

Hours before the unidentified man died from getting pushed on the tracks on Monday, Mike Kemper, the chief of transit, announced that overall crime on the subway during February was down due to the increased actions to crack down on crime.

“And so far, in the month of March, that downward trend continues,” Mr Kemper said. “The overall crime so far in March is down 15.5 per cent when compared to last year.”

This is not the first time this year that a person became a victim of getting shoved onto the subway train tracks.

Earlier this month, a woman had to have both her feet amputated following her boyfriend pushing her onto the tracks, where she was struck by an oncoming 3 train.