Brooklyn — A 67-year-old MTA employee was repeatedly punched in the face while operating a westbound Q56 bus near Jamaica Avenue and Cypress Hills Street, and NYPD detectives are now asking New Yorkers to help them find the man they say was caught on camera. The April 11 attack happened while the worker was on duty, police said, and the assailant took off after landing several blows.
In a bulletin posted on Facebook, NYPD Crime Stoppers released still surveillance images of the person of interest and stamped the alert "WANTED FOR AN ASSAULT." The post lists the Jamaica Avenue and Cypress Hills Street intersection, notes the April 11 date, and asks anyone who recognizes the suspect to contact investigators. Detectives are also urging people in the area to preserve any video they might have from that day and share it with police.
How to submit tips
The NYPD’s Crime Stoppers program allows tipsters to stay anonymous while sharing information. The department lists the main line as 1-800-577-TIPS and a Spanish hotline at 1-888-57-PISTA, according to the NYPD. Tips can also be sent via X to the department’s dedicated account at @NYPDTips. Crime Stoppers notes that callers may be eligible for a cash reward if their information leads to an arrest, and officials are asking anyone who has surveillance or cell-phone footage that could help identify the suspect to include that with their tip.
Where it happened
The assault was reported in the Cypress Hills section of Brooklyn, near the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and Cypress Hills Street. Online mapping tools list that corner as Jamaica Ave/Cypress Hills St in the 11208 ZIP code, matching the location cited in the police bulletin. Transit listings show that the Q56 bus line serves Jamaica Avenue at Cypress Hills Street, according to public-transit schedules.
Transit worker safety concerns
The case lands in the middle of a wider fight over safety for front-line transit workers. Leaders of TWU Local 100 have repeatedly demanded stronger protections after a series of high-profile attacks on MTA employees, arguing that bus and subway workers are exposed while handling everyday duties. Prosecutors have brought charges in several recent incidents involving assaults on transit staff, as reported by AMNY, and union officials say public tips and video evidence often make or break those cases.
Anyone who recognizes the individual shown in the released images, or who has video from the April 11 incident, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or submit information online through the Crime Stoppers portal, per the NYPD. Tips can also be sent through X to @NYPDTips. Callers can remain anonymous and may qualify for a reward if their information leads to an arrest.
