NYC subway rider is fatally pushed onto tracks, reviving discussion about mental illness in system

[Coventina]

NEW YORK (AP) — A man accused of fatally shoving another person into the path of an oncoming New York City subway train was described Tuesday by his mother and officials as having psychological issues, reviving discussion about how the city should respond to people experiencing mental health crises within the transit system.

The shoving victim, who has not been identified by authorities, was pushed onto the tracks inside an East Harlem subway station shortly before 7 p.m. Monday, police said. The operator of an oncoming train was unable to stop and the person was killed, police said.

The suspected shover, Carlton McPherson, 24, was arrested on a murder charge, a police spokesperson said. McPherson was awaiting arraignment in Manhattan criminal court Tuesday. No information about a defense attorney was available. A call to a Legal Aid attorney who has represented McPherson in a pending assault case in Brooklyn was not returned.

McPherson’s mother, Octavia Scouras, told The New York Times her son had been hospitalized for mental health treatment at least twice.

https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-subway-fatal-shove-c0d3c111d5774557b4b5329e7e1ba9d5

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[MichMan]

1. Seems like there is a violent subway incident in NYC nearly every week.

The accused has a rather lengthy criminal record

The NYPD has responded to past incidents where the Bronx resident was acting erratically and authorities say he has a history of mental illness.

He was released without bail after he was arraigned on an October 31 arrest for assault, menacing, harassment and other charges in Brooklyn.

He failed to show up for court twice and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest. He was picked up and brought to court on Jan. 11, where bail was set for $2,000 -- which he posted. His next court date was set for July.

"Recidivism is a real issue and the second issue we have in this city is a severe mental health illness problem that was played out at 125th Street and Lexington Avenue at the subway station," Mayor Eric Adams said. "And he was a recidivist, several severe mental health issues, indicators of violence. When you do an analysis and a cross correlation, you will see its the same people, over and over again."

[link:https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/bronx-man-charged-in-death-of-subway-rider-he-pushed-onto-tracks-in-unprovoked-attack-police/ar-BB1kybBT|

[SarahD]

2. Send him to the mental institution.

People who do violent crimes and end up involuntarily committed seldom get out early, if ever. They're considered too dangerous to release, which is usually accurate.

[bigtree]

3. I always find myself constructing a platform barrier in my head

...that retracts when the train is stopped and loading, rises back in place when the doors close.

Silly me. It just seems so barbaric and archaic to have that unobstructed drop.

[JI7]

4. Too many people are being harmed and killed by those

thought to have mental illness.

I question whether it really is mental illness in many cases