Transit cops are searching for a man who allegedly groped a 19-year-old woman on the southbound E train platform at the Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue station, and they are asking regulars at the busy hub to help them track him down.
Police say that around 9:45 p.m. on July 1, the man came up behind the woman and grabbed her buttocks. Detectives later pulled surveillance images from the station and put out a wanted bulletin, hoping someone recognizes the suspect and comes forward.
Wanted bulletin and reporting channels
According to an NYPD Crime Stoppers post on Facebook, the alert is labeled "WANTED FOR FORCIBLE TOUCHING" and urges anyone with information to DM @NYPDTips or call the anonymous tip line. The bulletin includes station surveillance stills that investigators believe could help put a name to the suspect, and it asks riders to hang on to any phone or door-cam footage from the night of July 1.
Tips can also be submitted through NYPD Crime Stoppers or by calling 1-800-577-TIPS.
What the charge means
Under state law, forcible touching covers behavior such as squeezing, grabbing or pinching. Per New York State Senate records, it is a class A misdemeanor, which can carry up to one year in jail. Prosecutors decide how to charge each case based on the evidence and the suspect's intent.
Victims seeking support or guidance can reach out to NYPD victim-services staff and Special Victims resources for help navigating reports and next steps.
Roosevelt hub has seen similar alerts
The Roosevelt/74th Street transfer complex has been the subject of multiple Crime Stoppers bulletins and other violent-crime reports this year, which local outlets report has left riders on edge about safety in the station.
As reported in a similar groping alert in April, investigators circulated another wanted poster in a nearby incident, and regional reporting documented a stabbing aboard an E train near the station at the end of June. Some commuters and nearby business owners have been calling for more visible patrols and have urged anyone with useful footage to preserve it for detectives.
How riders can help and stay safe
Riders who were in or around the station at the time of the July 1 incident are being asked to scroll back through their phones and keep any original videos or photos that might have captured the suspect or the surrounding platform.
If you recognize the person in the bulletin or have relevant footage, contact NYPD Crime Stoppers or call 1-800-577-TIPS. Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger.
For more details on reporting options and victim resources, visit NYC.gov.
