An MTA bus run through Mill Basin turned ugly this weekend when an 18-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy allegedly opened fire with a pellet gun, striking the driver and leaving him with minor injuries, police said. The incident unfolded near East 56th Street and Avenue U and involved a 45-year-old bus operator, according to authorities.
According to News12 New York, the 18-year-old suspect has been identified as Yonathan Asulin. He was charged with two counts of assault, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon. The 16-year-old was hit with two counts of assault and reckless endangerment. Investigators said the driver did not require hospitalization after the attack.
Charges And Court Process
Both defendants have now been charged and the case is headed into the court system, where prosecutors often push hard when transit workers are hurt on the job. In a recent parallel case, Yonkers police charged a Manhattan man with second-degree assault after an April attack on an MTA driver, according to a Yonkers Police press release.
Transit Worker Safety
The Mill Basin incident is the latest in a string of assaults on MTA employees this spring, fueling renewed pressure for tougher protections and swifter prosecutions. As union leaders say surveillance video and public tips have been crucial in tracking suspects, and TWU Local 100 has repeatedly called on officials to step up safeguards for bus operators.
Police Response And How To Help
NYPD investigators are leading the probe, and the case remains active. Anyone with video, witness information or other tips is asked to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or submit an anonymous tip through the city’s website. Police say additional details could be released as the case moves through the courts.
