You are reading

R train rider assaulted by two men after verbal dispute in Astoria subway station : NYPD

Cops are looking for two suspects who attacked an R train rider in Astoria after words were exchanged inside the 46th Street station on Broadway. Photos courtesy of the NYPD

July 25, 2024 By Bill Parry

Police from the 114th Precinct in Astoria and Transit District 20 are looking for two suspects who attacked a 42-year-old man inside the 46th Street R train station on the night of Sunday, July 14.

The victim was waiting on the station’s platform that serves the Queens Boulevard line on Broadway in Astoria at around 8:40 p.m. Two strangers approached the man and began to argue with him. The verbal dispute escalated into violence when the two assailants allegedly assaulted the victim, striking him multiple times before jumping onto a northbound R train. The victim sustained minor injuries, but refused medical attention at the scene, police said.

The victim was attacked inside the R train station on the night of Sunday, July 14, after arguing with his assailant. Photo courtesy of the MTA

The NYPD released surveillance images of the suspects on Wednesday and described them as having light complexions. One wore a black t-shirt with a Diesel logo across the chest and a black backpack, while his accomplice was bare-chested wearing his gray T-shirt around the neck and gray sweatpants.

A reward of up to $3,500 is being offered for information that leads to their arrests.

Anyone with information regarding this assault is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.

Through July 21, the 114th Precinct has reported 336 assaults so far in 2024, 80 more than the 256 reported at the same point last year, an increase of 31.2%, according to the most recent CompStat report. The precinct reported 17 transit crimes so far this year, 4 fewer than the 21 reported at the same point in 2023, a decline of 41.7%, according to CompStat.