A 25-year-old man was taken into custody after he allegedly became violent at a Brooklyn subway station on Saturday morning, pushing one woman onto the tracks and punching another in the face, police said.The shocking incident occurred at approximately 8:45 a.m. at the 53rd Street Station on the R Line in Sunset Park. According to authorities, the suspect first approached a 51-year-old woman who was standing on the platform and struck her in the face without provocation.Shortly after, he allegedly turned on a 43-year-old woman and pushed her onto the tracks. Officials said the victim managed to crawl to safety before the oncoming train arrived.Officers from the New York Police Department’s 72nd Precinct and the 34th Transportation District responded to the scene. Both women were taken to a nearby hospital and are expected to survive. The 51-year-old victim suffered facial injuries and the other victim reported knee and back pain.Police sources said the suspect fled the station immediately after the attack. After searching the surrounding area, officers located him at a shelter in the 5100 block of 20th Avenue and took him into custody for questioning. As of Saturday evening, charges had not been set and the investigation was ongoing.The incident comes amid concerns about the safety of the city’s transportation system. According to the New York Police Department, major crimes on the subway system are up 17% so far this year compared with the same period last year. Assaults increased from 65 to 71, and robberies increased from 38 to 60, a 58% increase.However, police data show that citywide crime fell by 8% during the same period. Authorities are continuing to investigate Saturday’s attack.
