A man was arrested for the attempted rape of a young woman on a New York City subway train, police said.
The man, identified as Timothy Thomas, 23, reportedly slid his hands into the 21-year-old woman’s pants while riding the northbound E train as it approached the Canal Street station. Police said the incident happened at around 10:20 a.m. on Wednesday, the New York Post reported.
When the woman tried to get away, Thomas allegedly grabbed her, shoved her into a corner, and tried to rape her, police said.
The 21-year-old managed to escape the suspect after he fled the scene and hopped onto another train, according to the New York Police Department.
Police spotted the 23-year-old in Lower Manhattan and arrested him on Thursday.
Thomas was charged with attempted rape, sex abuse, forcible touching, and unlawful imprisonment, police said.
The NYPD’s Special Victim’s Unit announced the arrest in a tweet on Thursday afternoon.
“The Transit District 20 Public Safety Team was on it when they spotted this male wanted for an attempted rape by the Transit Special Victims within 24 hours,” the unit wrote.
The Transit District 20 Public Safety Team was on it when they spotted 👀 this male wanted for an attempted rape by the Transit Special Victims within 24 hours. Great investigation and coordination by your detectives and transit officers keeping our subways🚊 safe. @NYPDTransit pic.twitter.com/NSZ1ZjIop4
— NYPD Special Victims (@NYPDSVU) February 10, 2022
The incident wasn’t the first subway attack that occurred this week.
Police are searching for a suspect who allegedly stabbed a 19-year-old woman at around 12:23 a.m. on Thursday. The woman was riding the northbound no. 1 train in Washington Heights when she was stabbed in the left forearm by a man in his 20s, police said.
Though it was unclear what led to the assault, the woman got off the train at West 181st Street and was taken to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital for treatment, Fox 5 NY reported.
Last month, New York City mayor Eric Adams faced backlash after his comments regarding the safety of riding the subways. His statements came a day after a passenger was pushed to her death in a seemingly random attack.
“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.
“Think about that for a moment,’ he added. “What we must do is remove the perception of fear.”
