NYPD Lieutenant saves homeless man's life during night of outreach on subway

Friday, May 1, 2020

Cop rescues man moment before he leaps in front of train

Tim Fleischer talks to the responding officers who rescued a homeless man just moments before he was about to leap in front of a train.

INWOOD, Manhattan (WABC) -- A homeless man's life was suddenly saved from tragedy when NYPD Lieutenant Ryan Murphy sensed something was wrong. It was all captured on body cam video.

"He turned away from me, and he turned toward the oncoming train, and he said 'I'm just going to thrown myself in front of the train," said Lt. Murphy.

An A Train was just pulling into the Inwood 207th Street Station on a night of outreach as the homeless were being asked to leave the subway trains so they could be cleaned and disinfected.

"He started to make a move toward the front of the train. I was able to grab him and basically - and quickly pulled him back deeper onto the platform," said Lt. Murphy.

On the platform with the lieutenant was police officer Fidias Peralta.

"When I saw him approaching the lieutenant, I noticed he said something, and the lieutenant tried to grab him, and I had seen him trying to throw himself toward the train. I see the lieutenant grab the individual and pull him away from the train as it was pulling in," said Officer Peralta.

"You have to observe them, watch them, and then cautiously tr to provide as much help as we can," added Lt. Murphy.

It is the homeless outreach effort in the massive transit system, now pressed to provide help, while at the same time keeping it safe for essential workers.

Officer Serbay Gobelek is with the outreach unit.

"We bring the department nurses with us, and work with the individuals, and evaluate whether the person needs help or not, and if they need help, we get the person to the hospital and get the help they need," said Officer Gobelek.

As for the homeless man who Lieutenant Murphy encountered?

"You are there to help individuals get help, but also being to save individuals is the most important part," he said.