A 77-year-old man was randomly pepper-sprayed on a subway train at Union Square Friday, Myles Miller reports.
A pepper-spray incident in the Union Square subway station wreaked transit havoc Friday, suspending more than a half-dozen lines and sending people running from the busy Manhattan hub as authorities investigated.
The FDNY and NYPD responded en masse to the Union Square station around 10:30 a.m. after reports multiple people had fallen ill. Service was shut down on the 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, W and L lines for nearly 30 full minutes, the MTA said.
Video posted to the Citizen app showed stretches outside the station as people milled about.
Regular service resumed less than an hour later, according to the MTA.
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Police later said that a 77-year-old man had gotten off a southbound W train just after 10 a.m., and as he was pushing a small cart on the platform, the cart unintentionally brushed up against someone. That person then pepper-sprayed the man, and took off.
The victim suffered pain and redness to his eyes and face, while others were impacted by the spray as well, and required medical attention.
The investigation is ongoing.
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