A late-night confrontation on a Queens subway platform turned violent Wednesday when an on-duty MTA employee was punched repeatedly on the southbound E train platform at the Forest Hills–71st Avenue station, and the attacker escaped by hopping on a train.
Police say the assault happened around 10 p.m. on June 24. The victim, a 51-year-old male MTA worker, was on the southbound platform when he got into a verbal dispute that spiraled into a flurry of punches to his face. The attacker then boarded a southbound E train and disappeared into the system.
Investigators have put out a wanted bulletin and are asking for the public's help to track the suspect down.
NYPD Crime Stoppers shared a "WANTED FOR AN ASSAULT" alert on Friday with details of the June 24 attack and offered up to $3,500 for information that leads to an arrest and indictment. Anyone with a tip is urged to DM @NYPDTips or call 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), according to NYPD Crime Stoppers.
What Authorities Say
According to the bulletin, the unidentified suspect argued with the 51-year-old employee on the southbound platform before punching him multiple times in the face and fleeing on a southbound E train. Police have not yet released a description of the suspect and are asking riders or nearby residents with video, photos or eyewitness information to come forward. Detectives are reviewing station surveillance and following other leads.
Transit Worker Safety Trends
Violence against transit workers remains a stubborn concern for the MTA and law enforcement, even as some indicators are finally moving in the right direction. The MTA’s safety report shows that incidents meeting New York State assault definitions dropped from 169 in 2023 to 116 in 2024. Still, the agency warns that felony-level attacks are ongoing and that repeat offenders are a particular problem. The MTA says it has been expanding camera coverage, adding personnel and rolling out other measures to protect staff, according to the MTA safety report.
Union Response
Transit labor leaders have been sounding the alarm for years about front-line workers taking the brunt of riders' worst behavior. The Transport Workers Union Local 100 has pushed for more police patrols, better protective equipment and tougher enforcement, repeating its stance that "even one assault on a transit worker is one too many" in recent statements. Union officials regularly press prosecutors and MTA management to prioritize cases where employees are attacked on the job.
Legal Notes
Under New York State Penal Law, attacks on transit workers can qualify as assaults and, in more serious cases, be charged as felonies. The MTA has leaned on that classification as it presses for stronger penalties and more aggressive prosecution of people who target its staff. That strategy is tied to a broader push to curb recidivism and bolster cases with surveillance footage and incident reporting, as outlined in the MTA safety report.
How To Help
Anyone with information about the Forest Hills–71st Avenue platform assault is asked to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers. Tips can be shared by DM to @NYPDTips, by phone at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or online through the Crime Stoppers website. Tips may be submitted anonymously, and rewards are available for information that leads to arrests and indictments.
