Volunteers look to expand network helping subway riders get home safely

NEW YORK - It was only a month ago that Brooklyn resident Peter Kerre started SafeWalks NYC, a volunteer service walking people to and from the Morgan stop of the L Train, following a series of brutal attacks on women in and around the subway station.

The continuing trend of high-profile attacks, including four stabbings that resulted in two murders over the weekend, has led to hundreds of volunteers for the service and more requests for their free service.

"We received tons of messages in regards to concerns about the attacks, especially the fact that there were fatalities. The community is very scared right now," Kerre said.

Last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio downplayed recent events, saying the subways are safer now than when he took office. But riders don't appear to share that opinion and beginning this weekend, SafeWalks NYC will expand to help New Yorkers in Chinatown and in Harlem.

All of the organizations' volunteers are screened and vetted.

"The recent violence personally is very confusing and chaotic and in light of that it does make our commitment to keeping community safe that much more important," said Jen Goma, a SafeWalks NYC volunteer.

SafeWalks NYC initially began helping people in Bushwick and East Williamsburg, but after receiving calls for help from all over the city, they are now looking to create an app to help New Yorkers in all boroughs.

"Right now it's a grassroots effort to organize all of the volunteers but we are doing it in a fairly efficient way we are doing it the best we can but if we can get it on one platform where people may not be on Instagram can contact us, that's the goal," said Noah Neary, another SafeWalks NYC volunteer.

To reach their goal, they have launched a GoFundMe page called SafeWalks App To Keep NYC Community Safe and are hoping others will help them, in turn, keep subway riders safe.