Witness recounts man escaping death after being pushed onto subway tracks; suspect charged
CHELSEA, Manhattan (WABC) -- A man pushed into the path of an oncoming subway train in Manhattan narrowly escaped death, as the suspect in the case found he could not evade authorities.
Chilling video obtained by Eyewitness News shows a man standing close to the edge of the platform behind a couple of fare evaders, and another man approaching and casually shoving him in front of a 1 train just after 1:30 Tuesday afternoon at 18th Street.
First responders went between the stopped subway cars to rescue the 45-year-old victim and take him to Bellevue Hospital.
Sources tell Eyewitness News that the victim is a New York City resident and is in stable condition but suffered broken ribs and a fractured skull.
Less than an hour after the attack, a suspect was in custody. He was identified as Kamel Hawkins, 23, of Brooklyn.
A witness recounted the violent shove to Eyewitness News.
"It was absolutely violent, just a full lounge shove towards the man just pushing him onto the tracks, the man screamed as he was falling," the witness said.
A horrific act just feet away from one witness named Andrea -- her hands were still shaking as she spoke to Eyewitness News..
The young professional in the beauty industry's eyes filled with tears as she was informed that the victim pushed directly in the path of an oncoming one train survived.
"I don't know how, this poor man," she said.
Hawkins was quickly apprehended and held at 59th Street thanks to transit officers looking for the person in the video. He is charged with attempted murder and assault as a felony. He was ordered held and Hawkins is due back in court on Monday, January 6.
Hawkins, according to the NYP, has 9 prior arrests. On October 12, 2024 he was charged with assault, harassment and weapons possession. In June of 2019 he was charged with the assault of an NYPD officer, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct.
"I actually got a very weird vibe from him, I don't know if it was the way he dressed. He had a facemask on. He had his hood up, made eye contact with him, just got a very weird vibe. So I just immediately sat down on the bench," Andrea said.
Andrea ran to call 911. Cameras had already picked up the suspect and he was arrested quickly nearby.
"I just panicked even just telling this story now I'm just starting to shake," Andrea said.
Mayor Adams defended his efforts to get people off the subway system who are sleeping or seem like they need mental health services. He pointed to lower crime on the subway in 2024 and declines overall since 2009, but admits the perception just does not match the reality.
"People don't want to hear that. They say, 'someone just got burned, Eric.' If someone is shoved to the subway system on the tracks, people are seeing and feeling what they're reading. So our success is overshadowed," Adams said.
The cameras that help lead to arrests also make the disturbing crimes more visible to more people.
Police believe the attack was random, they say he did not know the victim and said nothing to him before pushing him in front of the train.
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