7 days ago
Woman accused of punching 73-year-old subway rider in NYC train station
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) — A woman is accused of attacking a 73-year-old subway rider in a Manhattan train station last month, police said.
Bronx resident Marie McWilliams, 36, was arrested Tuesday and charged with assault in connection with the May 1 incident in the Fifth Avenue-53rd Street subway station in Midtown, according to the NYPD.
McWilliams allegedly started yelling at the 73-year-old woman while they were on the Manhattan-bound E train before repeatedly punching the woman as she got off the train at around 4:30 p.m., authorities said.
The victim was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The suspect got on a Queens-bound E train after the incident, police said.
McWilliams' arraignment was pending Tuesday.
The arrest was announced the same day that authorities said crime in the city's subway system has decreased, especially on trains and platforms. Transit crime is down about 5% this year.
But when it comes to assaults, the primary cause is mental illness, police said.
'We have done a very good job targeting areas that we do see more prolific people who assault individuals in transit,' police said.
Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the NYC area for more than a decade. She has been with PIX11 News for two years. See more of her work here.
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