A 31-year-old man was arrested last week in connection with a series of attacks on women on the subway system over a week-long period.
Luis Hernandez, who police say is homeless, was charged with assault in the incidents, which occurred on various subway trains and platforms from Oct. 28 to Nov. 3.
According to the NYPD, Hernandez allegedly approached his first victim, a 46-year-old woman, at the 95th Street station at around 8 a.m. on Oct. 28 and punched her in the head and face. He fled the station, and emergency responders transported the victim to Maimonides Medical Center with minor injuries.
Later that day, at around noon, a 32-year-old woman was waiting for a northbound 3 train at the Hoyt Street station when she was punched in the face by an unknown assailant — now believed to be Hernandez — who quickly fled the scene.
On Oct. 31, Hernandez allegedly punched a 24-year-old woman in the face at the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center station at 6:20 a.m. as she waited for a northbound 2 train.
In a fourth and final incident on Nov. 3, Hernandez allegedly started yelling at a 53-year-old woman on board a northbound 2 train at the Flatbush Avenue station shortly after 5 a.m., then physically attacked her and punched her in the face multiple times. The woman reported to police that the suspect exited the station on foot after the incident.
After issuing a public appeal to identify the alleged suspect captured on security footage, officers from the 60th Precinct arrested Hernandez on Nov. 9.
According to the latest police department data, transit crime citywide increased by 5.7% during October when compared to the same period last year.
