A 65-year-old hotel chef came back to the Avenue H Q-line platform in Midwood this week, revisiting the scene where he says he was assaulted and robbed days earlier. Still sore and rattled, Anatoliy Suprun walked the same stretch of platform where, he recalls, a simple ride to work turned into a violent takedown.
Suprun says he had just put in his earphones and was about to watch a local newscast when a man sat down next to him, suddenly grabbed his phone and bolted. Suprun chased him down the platform, but says he was thrown to the ground and punched in the face, leaving him with a head injury. The blows were so hard, Suprun told reporters, that his doctor later asked to see video of the incident.
Police later arrested a 43-year-old man in connection with the attack, and detectives say the investigation is still active.
Suprun said a courthouse contact told him detectives believed some station cameras were not working, a detail that only added to his concerns about safety underground. The MTA pushed back on that claim and told ABC7 New York that, "All cameras at the Ave H Q subway station were working as designed on May 1 at 4:50 a.m." According to police, officers were able to pull video from inside the train itself, and Suprun identified his alleged attacker from that footage, which led to the arrest.
How Video Led to an Arrest
Investigators obtained footage from inside the train that pulled into Avenue H and used it to zero in on possible suspects. That video became a key piece of the case, police say, though prosecutors have not yet made further court filings public.
The arrest and the attack are unfolding against a backdrop of a recent uptick in transit incidents this year, a pattern that prompted the NYPD to assign extra officers to subway patrols, as reported by NY1. Riders and local advocacy groups say clusters of crime at a relatively small number of stations make it tougher to prevent attacks and to deter repeat offenders.
Riders Demand Answers
Returning to the platform where he says he was thrown and punched, Suprun pressed for stronger protections, especially for older riders, and told investigators the ordeal has left him shaken and in pain. He did not hold back his frustration, telling ABC7 New York, "Even in Cairo the subway is better," as he criticized safety measures and camera coverage and urged officials to fix what he sees as glaring gaps.
Commuters echo that concern, saying they want clear, direct answers from both the MTA and the NYPD about what, if anything, went wrong and how similar attacks are going to be prevented going forward.
Police say the suspect, a man in his 40s, has been charged with robbery and assault. The case remains under active investigation, and anyone with video or information is urged to contact the NYPD, which plans to review additional footage as the probe continues.
