Queens Great-Grandmother Fears for Safety After Assault

A 73-year-old great-grandmother from Queens is grappling with fear from an unprovoked attack at a midtown metro station last month. Auroa Gonzalez shared her story, expressing that the incident has left her feeling very unsafe while riding the subway.

On May 1, Gonzalez was allegedly assaulted by 36-year-old Marie McWilliams. Even now, she struggles with the overwhelming sensation that her attacker is still lurking nearby. “It feels like she’s still behind me,” Gonzalez remarked as she reflected on her experience.

Describing the moment of the assault, Gonzalez said, “I was just getting off the train when she struck me. I heard a loud ‘Bop!'”

In the chaos of the attack, she fell backwards and landed in the belongings of a homeless person, which added to the horror of the situation. Since that day, she has dealt with insomnia and anxiety, and even small trips on the subway have become distressing.

Despite her fears, she still rides the subway but admits she’s constantly on edge, looking around nervously. “Whenever I’m on the subway, I can’t help but look behind me,” Gonzalez said, mentioning her five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. “I’m just waiting to see her again.”

Before the attack, Gonzalez recalled hearing McWilliams making racist remarks directed at others on the train. “She was ranting about Puerto Ricans and Black people, saying they didn’t belong here,” she said.

Feeling provoked, Gonzalez confronted McWilliams, asking, “Are you talking to me?” but received no reply. As she exited the train at the 5th Avenue-53rd Street station, McWilliams followed her and struck her from behind.

Gonzalez described the assault, saying that McWilliams attacked her with a blade, leaving her with severe bruises and injuries. “I fell, and, well, it was a mess,” Gonzalez recounted, clearly still shaken. “I had to go to work afterward, even covered in all that.” Unfortunately, she’s now dealing with health issues, including kidney problems linked to the assault, along with persistent migraines and scars.

Reflecting on her mental state, she shared, “I couldn’t sleep for two weeks. There was so much worry; I couldn’t even eat. I just cried at night.” Despite this, she expressed relief over McWilliams’ arrest. “It’s a weight off my shoulders. I’ll stand up and testify. What she did was wrong—everyone needs to respect the elderly!”

On the day of the arrest, McWilliams was brought before Judge Marva Brown and granted supervised release, with bail set at $10,000 or a $30,000 bond.