Harlem Subway Platform Push Gets Man Years In Prison: DA

HARLEM, NY - A 60-year-old New York man who shoved a woman towards train tracks in Harlem was sentenced to six years in prison, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced this week.

Victor Lopez, 60, was sentenced months after a New York State Supreme Court jury found him guilty of attempted assault, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. said.

“A woman’s life was in serious danger when Victor Lopez decided to attack her in a subway station – with a train moments away,” Bragg said. “Thankfully, the woman was able to catch her balance, avoid injury and survive this frightening attack. These attacks tear at public safety and the sentence imposed today reflects that we take all acts of violence in our transit system seriously.”

The victim was making a downtown local train transfer on her way to meet a friend on Oct. 11, 2021 at the West 125th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue station when Lopez rushed towards her, unprompted, and pushed her towards the subway tracks.

The woman stumbled near the yellow line but was able to catch her balance to avoid falling onto the tracks, the district attorney’s office said. A downtown train pulled into the station moments later.

Other New Yorkers waiting on the platform helped flag down police officers in the station while Lopez attempted to flee by boarding one of the train cars. He was arrested soon after while the train was held in the station.