Video shows emotionally disturbed man barricade self in conductor cab
NEW YORK - An apparently emotionally disturbed man barricaded himself in a subway conductor's cab causing major delays in the system.
In a video obtained by FOX 5 News, the man can be seen standing inside a J train cab Wednesday afternoon at the Broad Street station in Manhattan.
It took police more than 90 minutes to remove him and bring the man to Bellevue Hospital for evaluation.
It was one of three incidents involving emotionally disturbed people on the subways on the same day, according to the Transport Workers Union.
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In one of the incidents, a rider kicked out two windows of a D train just outside the Atlantic Avenue station in Brooklyn and jumped to the roadbed. In another incident, an unhinged rider banged on the train operator’s door on a No. 4 train at Utica and then jumped from between two train cars to the platform and fled when cops arrived, said the union.
The TWU and the MTA have urged Mayor Bill de Blasio to address the mental health issues and increase NYPD presence on the subways.
"Three incidents in less than four hours involving people threatening harm to NYCT employees is a stark reminder of why the City needs to surge essential mental health services and police officers ASAP," said MTA Spokesperson Meredith Daniels.
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"These incidents highlight the mental illness crisis in the subway and the need for increased mental health services and uniformed police officers down there. Ask any rider. They get it. Rather than face facts, Mayor de Blasio wants to pretend everything is wonderful. It's not. More resources are needed to address the worsening situation," said Pete Donohue, Transport Workers Union.