Elderly man dies weeks after being pushed onto NYC subway tracks; case now a homicide
Bairon Hernandez, of Brooklyn, was previously arraigned on charges including assault and attempted assault. His case is ongoing in Manhattan criminal court.
NEW YORK - An elderly man has died weeks after he was pushed onto subway tracks at an Upper East Side station, and authorities have now ruled the case a homicide.
What we know:
Police say the incident happened around 11:39 a.m. on March 8 at the subway station at Lexington Avenue and East 63rd Street.
According to investigators, a man pushed two people onto the tracks — an 83-year-old man and a 31-year-old man. No train was entering the station at the time.
Both victims were taken to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The younger man suffered pain to his back, legs and left arm.
The older man, later identified as Richard Williams, suffered a brain bleed and underwent surgery. Doctors determined he had no brain activity following the procedure.
On March 25, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Williams’ death a homicide.
Timeline:
- March 8: Two men are pushed onto subway tracks at Lexington Avenue and East 63rd Street.
- March 10: Police say the suspect fled and the victims were in stable condition.
- March 11: Bairon Hernandez, 34, is arrested and arraigned on assault-related charges.
- March 25: The victim’s death is ruled a homicide.
What they're saying:
Prosecutors allege the suspect pushed one victim onto the tracks, then pushed an elderly man into the same area moments later.
A witness told investigators he recorded video of the suspect and later saw "this same man push an elderly man into the same subway tracks."
What we don't know:
It is unclear what led up to the attack or whether the suspect knew the victims.
Authorities have not yet announced updated charges following the homicide ruling.
What's next:
Bairon Hernandez, of Brooklyn, was previously arraigned on charges including assault and attempted assault. His case is ongoing in Manhattan criminal court.
Prosecutors are expected to review the charges in light of the victim’s death.
The Source: This article was written using information from the NYPD, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.