A man was violently attacked while waiting for a subway train on Saturday evening. The victim, a 44-year-old pediatrician returning home from Harlem Hospital, was at the 50th Avenue and 7th Avenue station around 7:50 PM when the incident occurred.
Witnesses described the assailant as erratic and aggressive. “He was just walking along, and then this guy suddenly pushed him,” said Matsumoto, a friend of the victim, who was recovering in the hospital. The doctor, who hasn’t been named, sustained bruises to his face and legs but was reportedly in good spirits and grateful to be alive.
Matsumoto recounted hurrying back to the platform with the help of a couple and another woman when he realized his friend would arrive any minute. The hospital staff had advised him to avoid the subway following the attack.
“He’s lucky,” Matsumoto noted. “He’s happy he’s still alive.” However, concerns are growing as police look for the suspect, who is described as around six feet tall, wearing a white shirt, black shorts, and carrying a black backpack.
This incident adds to the rising concern about subway violence in the city. Police are also investigating a separate stabbing that occurred the same night at an East Village subway station and another attack earlier in the week where a woman was slashed after refusing to give up her bag.
A recent report from MTA officials revealed that July saw the highest number of violent incidents on the subway since 1995. Despite these alarming trends, the friends of the injured doctor emphasized that he has no choice but to continue using the subway to get to work.
