New photos show suspect in 87-year-old grandmother's NYC shove death

ByLucy Yang and Eyewitness News WABC logo

Friday, March 18, 2022

New photos show suspect in 87-year-old grandmother's shove death

Police have released new photos of the woman wanted for allegedly shoving a beloved grandmother who later died from her injuries.

CHELSEA, Manhattan (WABC) -- Police have released new photos of the woman wanted for allegedly shoving a beloved grandmother who later died from her injuries in a random unprovoked attack.

Barbara Maier Gustern, an 87-year-old active performer and voice coach, was wrapping up rehearsal last Thursday night in Chelsea when the woman approached her from behind and pushed her to the ground.

Gustern suffered a severe head injury and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Police announced five days later that she had died as a result of her injuries.

Gustern was walking along 28th Street on her way to attend a student's performance when the woman attacked her near 8th Avenue.

The NYPD is hoping the new photos will help them identify the suspect.

She is described as having a light complexion and long dark colored hair.

She was last seen wearing a black jacket, black leggings, white skirt (possibly a dress) and dark colored shoes.

Gustern's grandson A.J. spoke out to Eyewitness News on Monday.

"She's the light of my life," he said after flying in from Colorado to be with his grandmother at Bellevue Hospital. "I'm angry at the state of the world. I'm angry at the state of the city."

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

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