Two women have been apprehended in connection with the assault of a 51-year-old female MTA worker at the New Lots No. 3 train station in Brooklyn. The second suspect, 25-year-old Leschea Aldridge, faces multiple charges including attempted assault, assault, theft of services, and endangering the welfare of a child. Her accomplice, Ayizhae Thomas, 24, was arrested earlier this month and is facing similar charges, ABC7 New York reports.
According to police, the incident began when the employee, identified as Marshalee Reid, asked one of the suspects to pay the fare after jumping the turnstile. The suspect’s refusal reportedly escalated into a physical altercation, during which the suspects allegedly punched Reid and struck her with a set of keys, causing facial lacerations and swelling to her hand. Following the incident, both Aldridge and Thomas fled the scene and Reid was taken to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, where she was said to be in stable condition. New York Daily News added that she also required X-rays for her hand injuries.
The attack occurred as Reid was helping an older man at the MetroCard vending machine and after allowing him through an emergency exit to circumvent the malfunctioning machine, confronted the fare-evading suspects. Aldridge's arraignment was pending at Brooklyn criminal court, while Thomas was released on supervised release at hers.
In response to the incident, NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow released a statement calling for "maximum justice" against the attackers, in what has been described as a "senseless attack on a station agent," as obtained by New York Daily News, Crichlow's statement following Thomas's arrest. "It’s up to courts to deliver maximum justice. We will be watching closely."
