Park Slope riders say a man they have dubbed the "7th Avenue spitter" is still prowling a pair of downtown Brooklyn subway stops and zeroing in on women, leaving commuters rattled and fed up. Riders recount being trailed down stairways, harassed on platforms and, in several incidents, spat on at the 15th Street–Prospect Park and Seventh Avenue/9th Street stations on the F and G lines. Neighbors say the pattern, which they insist has dragged on for years, has put fresh pressure on police and city officials to boost patrols and follow-through on mental-health interventions.
Where the attacks have been reported
According to New York Post reporting, police have identified the suspect as Norbert Williams, who has a history of arrests and complaints tied to similar behavior at Park Slope stations. The outlet reports that Williams has been connected to incidents dating back to 2020 and was taken into custody last summer, though neighbors told the paper they have repeatedly spotted the same man lingering near station entrances. Authorities quoted in the story say they are probing multiple spit-attacks and harassment complaints tied to the 15th Street–Prospect Park and Seventh Avenue/9th Street stops.
How the law treats spitting
Under New York law, spitting can fall under harassment and, in some circumstances, aggravated harassment or even assault, depending on intent and how serious or repetitive the conduct is. Courts have at times treated unwanted physical contact, including spitting, as grounds for harassment or more serious charges when it is part of targeted or repeated conduct. FindLaw provides an overview of the aggravated-harassment statute and related case law.
Officials and patrols
Councilwoman Shahana Hanif told the paper she recently met with NYPD transit brass and the Brooklyn district attorney's office about the string of incidents and urged commuters to keep filing detailed reports so police can build a case, according to New York Post. Hanif said complaints dropped off while the suspect was in court-mandated mental-health treatment last year and ticked back up once those services ended. The NYPD transit division, also quoted in the story, said officers would keep extra patrols in place at both Park Slope stations.
Neighbors push back
Park Slope residents have been flooding neighborhood message boards with accounts of sightings and encounters, with several posts alleging that the man tends to single out women, children and older riders. The Park Slope saga is part of a wider trend: The City has reported an uptick in spitting attacks on MTA workers, and other Brooklyn neighborhoods have grappled with serial-spitter cases and arrests, including one in Williamsburg last fall. Brooklyn Eagle covered that arrest, which came after a flurry of complaints and mounting community pressure.
Officials emphasize that anyone who is threatened or spat on should call 911 and try to note key details such as time, direction of travel and any available video, then pass that information along to local precincts and elected offices. They say that type of documentation is what lets investigators stitch together a pattern that can hold up in court. For now, Park Slope commuters say they are keeping their heads on a swivel and waiting to see whether the extra patrols and follow-up will finally bring an end to the spitter's run.
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