On New Year’s Day, a 71-year-old woman named Linda Rosa, on her way to church in Brooklyn, became the victim of an attempted robbery on the New York City subway. Around 6 p.m., after disembarking a Number 3 train at Hoyt Station, Rosa was accosted by a group of four teenage girls. The teens attempted to steal Rosa’s bag, striking her in the process. Surveillance footage released by the NYPD shows the group casually passing through subway turnstiles, seemingly unfazed by their actions. Despite the attack, the suspects remain at large, and authorities have appealed to the public for assistance in their apprehension.
Rosa, however, refused to be a passive victim. When the teens tried to snatch her purse, she fought back with remarkable tenacity. One teen struck Rosa in the face, knocking her glasses off, while another managed to steal a small pouch containing her identification and medical records. Undeterred, Rosa continued to struggle with her attackers, even attempting to kick one of them. She fell during the scuffle and was stomped on, but her fighting spirit remained unbroken.
Fearing further injury, Rosa grabbed one assailant’s hair, twisting it around her hand to control her. When another teen intervened, Rosa, with surprising strength and agility, grabbed her hair as well, holding both attackers down. The two remaining teens urged Rosa to release their accomplices, but she refused until someone came to her aid. Finally, she let go, and the startled teens fled the scene.
Following the harrowing ordeal, Rosa proceeded to the nearby Brooklyn Tabernacle Church, where staff members provided assistance and contacted emergency services. She sustained minor injuries and was taken to The Brooklyn Hospital Center in stable condition. Remarkably, Rosa expressed forgiveness for her attackers, attributing their actions to youthful foolishness. However, she highlighted the pervasive sense of insecurity in the city, noting that such incidents can happen to anyone, anywhere, and anytime.
Rosa’s experience underscores the ongoing concerns surrounding safety within the New York City subway system. Her attack occurred just a day after a 45-year-old man was shoved onto the subway tracks in Manhattan, sustaining a head injury but miraculously surviving. Days prior, a horrifying incident involving a woman being set on fire and killed on a Brooklyn subway train further fueled anxieties about transit safety. These incidents, coupled with others, contribute to a climate of fear and raise serious questions about the effectiveness of current safety measures.
The recent surge in violent crime on the subway directly contradicts Governor Kathy Hochul’s assertions about the system’s safety. While efforts are being made to address the issue, these incidents highlight the urgent need for improved security measures and greater police presence within the transit system. The vulnerability of commuters, especially senior citizens like Rosa, underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to ensuring the safety and well-being of all those who rely on public transportation. The fear and insecurity generated by these attacks erode public trust in the system and demand immediate and effective solutions. The discrepancies between official pronouncements of safety and the lived experiences of riders, like Rosa and other recent victims, need to be reconciled through concrete actions to improve safety and restore confidence in the subway system.
