A routine end-of-the-line sweep turned violent Friday night in the Bronx, when an MTA conductor was punched in the face after waking a sleeping rider aboard a northbound 6 train at Parkchester, leaving the worker hospitalized and the attacker still on the loose. Police said the 58-year-old conductor was taking the train out of service just after 10:30 p.m. when the man woke up and allegedly struck him multiple times. The victim was taken to a hospital in stable condition, and investigators say no arrests have been made.
According to ABC7 New York, the conductor was performing standard out-of-service checks when he tried to rouse the sleeping passenger. When the rider came to, police say he attacked the conductor and then bolted from the platform. The blowup triggered an NYPD investigation, with detectives canvassing the station and reviewing any available video to track the suspect’s movements.
Another attack on transit staff in the Bronx
The Parkchester assault lands on a growing list of recent attacks on subway workers in the borough. As detailed in the Hunts Point mezzanine ambush, police were still searching for suspects after a March incident that left an MTA worker injured in a station mezzanine. In the wake of such cases, TWU Local 100 and other unions have repeatedly pressed the MTA and City Hall for stronger protections for front-line staff.
City response and safety context…