Man Dies After Stranger Punches Him Onto Subway Tracks, NYPD Says

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, NY — A Staten Island grandfather died after he was sucker punched by a teenager yelling about the devil and fell onto the subway tracks Wednesday afternoon, according to police and reports.

Jacinto Suarez, 65, of Stapleton, was waiting for the R train at the Jay Street-MetroTech station when he got into an argument with Edward Cordero, 18, at about 2:35 p.m., the NYPD said.

The argument turned physical when the Cordero punched Suarez and caused the father of 10 to fall on the tracks. Suarez was pulled back onto the platform, but police don't know by whom yet, and taken to Brooklyn Hospital where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

Cordero, of Bed-Stuy, was arrested at the platform and charged with manslaughter and assault by police on Thursday, authorities said.

Family members told the New York Daily News that Suarez was on his way back to his Stapleton home after going to the Social Security office over a check when he was attacked by the teen.

"My dad don’t bother nobody," his daughter, Tylenea Gonzalez, 34, told the paper. "My dad don’t bother nobody. I don’t know why anybody would do that to him. He went, he came home. I’m not gonna have him here anymore."

Cordero was reportedly off his medication for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia at the time and was screaming about the devil when Suarez told him to get away, according to the News and police.

He was previously arrested seven times since 2015, including for stealing a purse in September and twice for jumping the turnstile, according to the News and police.

Image: Patch file photo