NEWARK, NJ – Authorities have arrested a man in Newark who was wanted for pushing a woman into a moving subway train in New York City.
Sabir Jones, 39, was apprehended by Newark police and is now in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, according to Fritz Fragé, Newark Public Safety Director. New York City police had initiated a search for Jones on Wednesday, after identifying him as the individual responsible for shoving a 30-year-old woman onto the tracks in a midtown Manhattan subway station.
Jones evaded authorities by fleeing through the subway turnstiles before his arrest in Newark.
The victim remains in critical condition in a New York hospital due to head injuries sustained during the incident. Michael Kemper, Chief of Transit NYPD, detailed the event: “The train was departing the station when she was pushed, resulting in her head hitting the train. She then fell onto the tracks.” Onlookers promptly rescued her from the tracks and contacted emergency services.
Jones was identified as the perpetrator through widely disseminated surveillance footage. He was previously known to authorities.
The incident follows another subway pushing that took place less than two years ago, in which Michelle Go, 40, lost her life after being pushed in front of a subway train at the Times Square station. Both episodes have raised safety concerns among the residents of New York City who use the subway for transportation.