New York Mayor Eric Adams (D) on Sunday assured New Yorkers that the city’s subway system is safe to use after a woman died when she was pushed in front of an incoming train.
“New Yorkers are safe on the subway system. I think it’s about 1.7 percent of the crimes in New York City that occur on the subway system,” Adams said during a press briefing, according to The Telegraph.
“Think about that for a moment,” he said. “What we must do is remove the perception of fear.”
“When you see homeless individuals with mental health issues not being attended to and given the proper services, that adds to the perception of fear,” said Adams.
The Telegraph noted that the mayor’s remarks drew criticisms from New Yorkers who said he is dismissing genuine concerns stemming from physical attacks on the subway.
On Saturday, Michelle Alyssa Go was killed after being pushed onto the tracks by Simon Martial, a 61-year-old homeless man. Martial turned himself into authorities and has been charged with Go’s slaying.
Shouting at reporters outside a police station, Martial admitted to shoving Go and appeared to have no remorse for his actions.
As local New York CBS-affiliate WCBS reported, police Commissioner Keechant Sewell called Go’s death an “absolutely senseless act of violence.”
“This incident was unprovoked, and the victim does not appear to have had any interaction with the subject,” said Sewell.
A subway rider named Brandon Lewis told the news station that the incident made him feel “less safe.”
“It’s a sign to me that the city is starting to fray,” he said.