A man has been arrested after an unprovoked attack on a 72-year-old man in the Bronx on New Year’s Day. This assailant, identified as Anton Aleshin, 29, is reportedly a well-known doctor from Russia practicing in Brooklyn, according to law enforcement sources.
Authorities suggest that Aleshin may have been under the influence when he violently pushed the elderly victim, a total stranger, into the side of a No. 4 train approaching the 161 Yankee Stadium station around 3:30 a.m. The victim collapsed during the incident and suffered facial abrasions as a result.
After the incident, police detained Aleshin at the scene. He mentioned to authorities that he was undergoing training at Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center. Prior to working in Brooklyn, it seems he practiced medicine in Russia for 11 years.
Aleshin faces multiple charges, including attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment, and harassment, as reported in court documents. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court and has been held without bail, as confirmed by the District Attorney’s Office.
The representative for Aleshin’s lawyer, Filomena Lucia Stabile from Legal Aid, chose not to comment. Meanwhile, representatives for One Brooklyn Health System, which oversees Brookdale, did not respond to requests for information.
The victim is reportedly stable and receiving care at Lincoln Medical Center, according to both police reports and the criminal complaint. This incident marks a troubling start to the new year, being the city’s first subway assault of 2026.
It’s worth noting that the attack follows recent statements from Governor Cathy Hochul, who announced a $77 million investment aimed at increasing police presence in subway stations. She highlighted that crime in the transit system had dropped to its lowest in 16 years, and overall crime rates in the metro area had decreased by 15% since 2019.
