A 33-year-old man was brutally attacked during his morning subway commute in Brooklyn last week, adding to a series of recent violent incidents in the city’s subway system, according to authorities.
The victim was on a Manhattan-bound R train passing through the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center station around 11:25 a.m. on Jan. 7 when the suspect began repeatedly kicking and punching him in the face.
After the assault, the attacker fled the scene, leaving the victim injured.
The victim was taken to Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and is in stable condition.
Police released photos of the suspect wearing a gray jacket over a black sweatshirt, with a hood and a skull cap, carrying a backpack and other bags.
The motive for the attack remains unclear.
This incident is part of a recent wave of violence in the city’s subway system, including a woman being burned to death, a man being pushed in front of a train, and several stabbings.
Despite this incident, felony crimes on the subway have decreased by 36% in the first 12 days of 2025, with 50 major offenses reported compared to 78 during the same period in 2024.
Felony assaults have decreased to 15 from 27 reported during the same time frame last year.
However, misdemeanor assaults have significantly increased to 64 from 39 reported in the beginning of 2024.
