NEW YORK (PIX11) — A 19-year-old woman was sexually assaulted on the subway on Saturday, police said.
She was one of at least two women to be victimized in the subway system over the weekend, according to the NYPD.
Police said she was on a No. 4 train headed uptown in the early morning hours on Saturday when a man in his 40s forcibly touched her. The suspect stopped after bystanders confronted him and he ran away, according to police.
The victim, though shaken, was not physically hurt. The sexual assault happened as the train approached the 14th Street-Union Square subway station.
“It does make me feel unsafe knowing that a lot of people are still doing this nowadays,” one commuter told PIX11 News on Tuesday.
On Sunday, a 24-year-old woman waiting for the N train was followed and sexually assaulted before the attacker slammed her head into the ground, police said. A passerby stopped the attack and officers later arrested Joel Ramirez.
Ramirez, 26, was charged with robbery, assault, sex abuse and harassment. He was accused of forcibly touching a woman in the subway back in February too, police said.
“It just doesn’t feel safe but I’m hoping and praying it’s going to get better,” said a subway rider.
The suspect in the No. 4 train attack remained on the loose, as of Tuesday.
According to police and the MTA, crime overall on the subway is slightly down when compared to last year. Rapes, robberies, and assaults are also down, but commuters say they are still on high alert.
“On the new trains, they have the red button that you can alert the conductor I believe. You can call for assistance,” said Hugh Wright before boarding the train.
“You just have to be careful at the train station and just look around,” said Carlene Watts.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
