Sunday afternoon at the 45 Road–Court House Square subway station in Long Island City turned ugly when a 15-year-old boy was surrounded, robbed and beaten underground, according to police. Around 2:20 p.m., a group pulled a knife, demanded the teen’s shoes and, when he refused to give them up, grabbed his phone instead and punched him several times in the head and body before bolting. The crew escaped on a Queens-bound 7 train, and investigators are now urging riders and nearby businesses to help fill in the gaps.
Police release details and seek tips
NYPD Crime Stoppers has circulated a wanted alert with the time and location of the attack, asking New Yorkers to speak up if they recognize the people involved. According to NYPD Crime Stoppers, the suspects flashed a knife while demanding the teen’s shoes, then took his phone and assaulted him before sprinting onto the train. Authorities say tips that help identify the group could be eligible for a cash reward.
How to report
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or, for Spanish speakers, 1-888-57-PISTA, according to the NYPD. Tips can also be sent in online through the Crime Stoppers website or by messaging @NYPDTips on X. The New York City Police Foundation, which helps run the program, notes that rewards of up to $3,500 may be paid for tips that lead to an arrest and indictment.
Court Square area safety
The sprawling Court Square–23rd Street complex has seen similar violent robberies in recent months, a trend that has transit cops repeatedly asking for commuter video and eyewitness accounts. As reported in a story on a teen jumped and jacked on Queens F train earlier this year, detectives have been leaning heavily on cell phone and door-cam footage to trace suspects through the busy transfer hub. Local alerts like this one are a not-so-subtle reminder for anyone with footage to hang onto it and share it with investigators.
Detectives are asking anyone who was on the platform or riding a 7 train near Court Square around 2:20 p.m. on Sunday to preserve any cell phone or door-cam video and contact Crime Stoppers. The department describes calls as “strictly confidential” in its alert. Tips may be submitted at the Crime Stoppers' website or by using the hotlines listed above. Authorities say information that leads to an arrest may qualify for the reward outlined in the posting.
