Woman Shoved In Front of Subway in New York City

Police say 40-year-old Michelle Alyssa Go of the Upper West Side was killed on Saturday morning after being shoved in front of a subway train in New York City. Police were called to the scene just after 9:30 a.m. to the Times Square Station, near 42nd Street and Broadway according to Fox5. She was struck by a southbound Q/R train and died at the scene.

The suspect, 61-year-old Simon Martial initially targeted another woman on the train platform before approaching the 40-year-old victim. He was not apprehended within the subway system, but turned himself in to police on Canal Street soon afterward. According to the New York Times, the suspect was being interrogated around 11 a.m., According to WABC, police believe he is homeless and has prior arrests in 1998 and 2018 for robberies of cab drivers.

Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell called the attack a “senseless act of violence” and stated the attack seems to be unprovoked.

Mayor Eric Adams stated during a press conference that “Our hearts go out to those who were affected” and promises that the city will do everything possible in order to make the subway systems safer. Mayor Adams, along with scores of other public officials are calling for more robust mental health services throughout the subway systems.

New York State Senator Liu stated “It’s 2022 and Asians in New York City and around America still suffer from relentless and hate-fueled attacks on a regular basis," according to WNBC.

City officials and police are yet to determine whether her attack was racially or ethnically motivated. Police have said they are not treating this case as a hate crime at this time, but it is hard to deny the staggering jump in attacks against those of Asian descent. Anti-Asian hate crimes have been on the rise in the past few years. According to NBC News, anti-Asian hate crimes rose by 361% in New York City by December 2021.