A diligent house painter is thankful to be alive after a violent stranger pushed him onto the subway tracks in Queens, leaving him injured. Orlando Cabrera, 64, recounted his experience, saying he was waiting for a southbound F train on Parsons Boulevard around 5:40 a.m. Sunday when the ordeal started.
The station was deserted as Cabrera sat on a bench, anticipating a train that was still eight minutes away. “Just a few minutes later, I felt a strong shove on my back,” he shared in a Spanish interview. “This huge guy came up behind me and startled me. I didn’t have time to react. He pushed me, and I ended up falling onto the tracks.”
The assailant reportedly shouted “Get out!” but said nothing else before the attack, according to Cabrera’s 27-year-old daughter, who spoke to reporters by phone.
“The force was significant,” his daughter mentioned. “He fell directly onto his head.” She recalled seeing someone in red clothing running away afterwards.
Good Samaritans came to Cabrera’s aid, and police reported that he was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he received treatment for several cuts and bruises.
“I had a wound on my arm, my head took a hit, and my face was messed up,” Cabrera said. “In that moment, I was covered in my own blood. Thankfully, two police officers came to help and got on the train to call for an ambulance.”
The perpetrator, who has caused anxiety for many, reportedly left Cabrera with a “neural breakdown.”
“This happened to me today, but who knows who he might target next?” Cabrera expressed. “If he could push me like that, think about what he could do to women and children.”
“I just can’t wrap my head around attacking someone without a reason,” he said. “It was almost like he tried to kill me.” Cabrera plans to continue commuting to work, as he needs to earn a living as a painter for a construction firm. “We are all just trying to survive,” he reflected. “We pay our fare, expecting a basic level of safety.”
“It was terrifying. I truly felt like I was dying,” his daughter added, expressing a wish for the attacker to face justice.
The victim’s son-in-law pointed fingers at the city’s legal system for allowing such senseless violence to occur. “Most of these offenders cycle in and out of prison. It seems time the city considers harsher sentences instead of letting criminals back on the streets to hurt others,” he commented.
“My father-in-law is in his 60s and wakes up at 5 a.m. on Sundays for work. In a bustling city like this, it feels like the wellbeing of hardworking citizens is overlooked,” he said.
Police released surveillance footage showing the suspect, dressed in a face mask and winter hat, sneaking under subway turnstiles to evade fare. Republican attorney general candidate Saritha Komatireddy commented on fare evasion being part of the issue.
“A 64-year-old man was pushed onto the subway tracks in Queens. Thirteen New Yorkers have suffered the same fate this year,” she stated, pointing to a lack of law enforcement from attorneys general and district prosecutors.
“Those who attack and harm passengers often aren’t paying their fares,” she continued. “As Attorney General, I would ensure stricter action against fare evaders and stop these attackers.”
Authorities are currently searching for the suspect, described as a man between 35 to 45 years old, about 5-foot-4, weighing around 170 pounds, with a medium build and a light-colored beard. He was last seen wearing a blue sweater and red pants.
Anyone with tips on his whereabouts is urged to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish speakers, at 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). There’s also an option to submit information online via the Crime Stoppers website.
