Man arrested after woman was shoved into moving NYC subway train
Kamal Semrade, 39, is facing charges of attempted murder and assault
A man has been arrested in New York City after he allegedly brutally attacked a woman on the subway.
Kamal Semrade, 39 is facing charges of attempted murder and assault for allegedly shoving 35-year-old Emine Ozsoy into the side of a moving subway car.
The incident took place around 6am on Sunday on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, say authorities.
Ms Ozsoy and Mr Semrade are believed to have first crossed paths at the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue subway station, riding the same train to Lexington Avenue and 63rd Street Station, according to ABC News.
Surveillance video captured the moment a man believed to be Mr Semrade shoved Ms Ozsoy onto the platform.
Authorities do not believe Mr Semrade and his alleged interview knew each other before the incident but are investigating whether they had any exchanges during the commute.
“She didn’t even see it coming,” Nancy Marrero, who witnessed the attack, told the New York Post. “With open palms, he just mushed her head — not her body — into the train. She just tumbled, just kept spinning because the train kept hitting her.”
Ms Marrerro added: “You could see the white inside [the flesh in her face], that’s how bad it was ... I don’t feel my arms. I feel like they’re broken.”
Mr Semrade was arrested on Tuesday at a homeless shelter in Queens.
Ms Ozsoy, who was on her way to work when the attack unfolded, suffered a broken neck and spinal injuries. According to the description of a GoFundMe page created to help cover her medical expenses, doctors initially told her she had only a slight chance of recovering movement below the neck.
“In just one day, she challenged that prognosis by moving her arms. It is a huge step, but her road to recovery will be long and challenging. She’s a fighter and is already fighting to recover,” the description read. “She will get there, but she needs everyone’s help.” More than $13,000 have been raised as of Tuesday evening.
Ms Ozsoy reportedly told law enforcement she has no recollection of the altercation.
“She’s petite, it would be really easy to hurt her, she just was really friendly and we said hello,” Ms Ozsoy’s neighbour Lila Stromer told ABC.
“And you know, she was a quiet neighbour. But you know it’s kind of like in New York City you know each other in the elevator but you don’t know each other. But so when we heard we were just horrified because she is really nice.”