The unhinged man accused of randomly shoving a straphanger to his death in front of an East Harlem train has a troubled past, including a history of mental illness and a lengthy rap sheet, law enforcement sources said Tuesday.
Carlton McPherson, 24, of the Bronx, had a warrant out for his arrest in an open Brooklyn assault case at the time of Monday’s chilling attack at the East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue station — when cops say he pushed a 54-year-old man onto the tracks.
A northbound 4 train rolling into the station around 7 p.m. was unable to stop in time, and fatally struck the man, whose name had not been released pending family notification.
McPherson was arrested and charged with murder on Monday.
His most recent arrest before that was in January after he was accused of spitting on a woman on an L train, though that case was sealed, meaning the charges may have been dropped, according to the sources.