UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) — The man charged with pushing two men onto subway tracks on the Upper East Side, leaving one man brain dead, was in the country illegally.
Bairon Hernandez, 34, originally from Honduras, has a prior conviction in New Jersey for entering the country illegally, and a conviction in Texas for re-entering illegally.
(Video in media player above is from a previous report)
Hernandez allegedly pushed the two people onto the subway tracks just minutes apart at a station on the Upper East Side over the weekend.
He was arrested in Brooklyn at a shelter after police say they received a tip.
Hernandez was charged with attempted murder, attempted assault, assault and reckless endangerment. Those charges could be upgraded.
One of his victims, an 83-year-old man, underwent surgery for brain bleed.
Following the surgery, the victim “did not have any brain activity, meaning that he is brain dead.”
The incident happened Sunday around 11:30 a.m. at the Lexington Avenue-63rd Street station.
A 30-year-old man was standing on the southbound F/Q platform when he was suddenly pushed from behind and fell onto the tracks.
The same suspect then approached the 83-year-old man from behind and pushed him onto the tracks.
Both victims were taken to the hospital. The 30-year-old was said to be stable.
The 83-year-old victim’s family told Eyewitness News that he is an Air Force veteran and that he and his wife have been married for 55 years. He has three daughters and 2 granddaughters.
On Monday, the younger victim, John Rodriguez, spoke exclusively with Eyewitness News and said he was caught by surprise and pushed out of nowhere.
Rodriguez, of Queens, said he was on his way to work when he says the man shoved him — completely unprovoked.
“I panicked, I started asking for help, not only for me but for the other man that was pushed,” he said.
Rodriguez started recording as a good Samaritan tried to help him. That’s when police say the other victim was pushed.
NYPD officers flooded the station and boarded trains to search for the suspect.
As for Rodriguez, he is recovering from an injured shoulder and neck. He said he has also developed a fever.
He said that as for returning to the subway, it will be touch-and-go.
“I get panic attacks just thinking about getting on the subway,” he said.
The NYPD said so far this year, there have been nine subway pushes, which is up compared to three this time last year.
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