Suspect charged with attempted murder after 2 men shoved onto subway tracks on Upper East Side
UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) -- A man has been arrested and charged after police say he pushed two people onto the subway tracks just minutes apart at a station on the Upper East Side over the weekend.
Bairon Hernandez, 34, was arrested overnight in Brooklyn at a shelter after police say they received a tip.
He was arrested and charged with attempted murder, attempted assault, assault and reckless endangerment.
The incident happened Sunday around 11:30 a.m. at the Lexington Avenue-63rd Street station.
A 30-year-old man was standing on the southbound F/Q platform when he was suddenly pushed from behind and fell onto the tracks.
The same suspect then approached an 83-year-old man from behind and pushed him onto the tracks.
The suspect ran away.
Both victims were taken to the hospital. The 30-year-old was said to be stable and the 83-year-old man, who is an Air Force veteran, remains in critical condition, fighting for his life.
His family told Eyewitness News he and his wife have been married for 55 years. He has three daughters and 2 granddaughters.
On Monday, the younger victim, John Rodriguez, spoke exclusively with Eyewitness News and said he was caught by surprise and pushed out of nowhere.
Rodriguez, of Queens, said he was on his way to work when he says the man shoved him -- completely unprovoked.
"I panicked, I started asking for help, not only for me but for the other man that was pushed," he said.
Rodriguez started recording as a good Samaritan tried to help him. That's when police say the other victim was pushed.
NYPD officers flooded the station and boarded trains to search for the suspect.
As for Rodriguez, he is recovering from an injured shoulder and neck. He said he has also developed a fever.
He said that as for returning to the subway, it will be touch-and-go.
"I get panic attacks just thinking about getting on the subway," he said.
Police said the suspect, Hernandez, is originally from Honduras and has no prior record in New York.
The NYPD said so far this year, there have been nine subway pushes, which is up compared to three this time last year.
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