subwayconduct
Brooklyn, NY (77WABC)-Officials are calling for increased police patrols after an off-duty MTA conductor, 52-year-old Gerard Sykes, was left in critical condition at Jamaica Hospital after being slashed from his ear to his left eye with a box cutter on the southbound “J” train. The attack happened at the corner of and Crescent Streets late Wednesday night.
Police say Sykes was approached without provocation at approximately 11:20 pm. Investigators say the suspect did not have any communication with the off-duty conductor.
In March 2020, subway conductor Garrett Goble died after the #2 train that he was operating burst into flames as it pulled into the 110th Street/Central Park North station. He was 36-years-old and married with two young children.
A disturbed career criminal was charged with murder in connection with the fatal fire that killed Goble. 50-year-old Nathaniel Avinger had recently been confined to a psychiatric hospital prior to the March 27th, 2020 fire. He is accused of torching a shopping cart on a No. 2 train as it made its way through Harlem. A dozen people were hurt.
MTA President Pat Foye and TWU (Transit Workers Union) Local 100 President Tony Utano both called for additional NYPD Patrols in the NYC subway system following the attack. Foye said:
Utano also called for additional NYPD patrols within the subway system saying MTA workers are getting injured and killed:
NYC Mayor DeBlasio responded Thursday during his morning briefing saying the NYPD has made clear they will make adjustments to the deployment of personnel as necessary. 600 additional officers had been deployed throughout the subway system in February but were pulled.
The New York City Police Department is asking the public’s assistance identifying the suspect in the attached surveillance video and photo regarding the attack against Sykes. The surveillance video and photo show the individual walking on Crescent street after the incident. The individual is a male in his 40’s, approximately 5’9″ tall, weighing 185 lbs., with a medium build. He was last seen wearing a gray jogging jacket, blue jeans, sneakers, surgical mask, and a baseball cap.
Police say anyone with information in regard to the attack on Sykes is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, or on Twitter @NYPDTips.
All calls are strictly confidential.
