Police say the man behind a violent subway station shove on the Upper East Side that sent a 74-year-old to the tracks this week is now in custody.
After his arrest, Derrick Mills could be heard saying he pushed the man at the 68th Street-Hunter College station because "he called me a woman." But that's contrary to how police and witnesses have described the incident.
The NYPD has said the suspect simply went up to the victim and allegedly shoved him onto the tracks, then took off out of the station around midnight on Tuesday.
"Our perp pushed the victim, causing him to fall onto the tracks. Fortunately there was an MTA employee close by assisted our victim back up from the track," said NYPD Transit Chief Michael Kemper.
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Police on Thursday said the surveillance images that captured the alleged suspect were instrumental to his arrest. Patrol officers in midtown nabbed Mills after recognizing him from the wanted flier.
Mills, whose attorney information was not known, is facing an assault charge.
Despite the incident, Kemper said that deploying extra police in the subways has made a difference this year.
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"Crime is down 4.5% this year versus last year, which translates to about 70 less victims of crime in the subway system this year," said Kemper, who noted those crimes include a downward trend in subway pushes. "When we are looking at people being pushed on the track fortunately those are down also this year versus last year."
Though Kemper was also quick to say: One subway push is one too many.
