NEW YORK — In response to the tragic death of an 83-year-old veteran who was shoved onto subway tracks earlier this month, and the eight other innocent New Yorkers who have been pushed onto the subway tracks this year, Attorney General candidate Saritha Komatireddy alongside Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra, State Senator Steve Chan, and Assemblyman Michael Novakhov, today called for more stringent measures to reduce transit crime and restore safety across New York’s mass transit systems. 

For millions of New Yorkers, mass transit is not optional – it is how they get to work, school, and care for their families. Many cannot afford a car, especially with rising costs like congestion pricing, and cannot afford to live close to where they work. This proposal is about protecting hardworking, middle-class and working-class New Yorkers who depend on the system and deserve to be safe. 

“New Yorkers should not have to feel anxious and afraid just getting on the subway,” said Komatireddy. “Nine New Yorkers have been pushed onto the subway tracks this year – that alone is horrific. Assaults, robberies, and drug trafficking are also far too common. This is not fair to the many hardworking New Yorkers who have no choice but to take the subway to get to work, go to school, and see their families. This lawlessness on the subways is entirely preventable and can be stopped—with robust prosecution. New Yorkers should not feel trapped in an unsafe system. If we are going to ask people to rely on mass transit, we must make sure it is safe.”

Assembly Republican Leader Ed Ra (R,C-Franklin Square) said, “While innocent victims were being robbed, attacked, and killed on the New York subways, Letitia James spent her time investigating the NYPD for how they pursued fare evaders. With each tragic incident, it becomes more obvious that Letitia James has abandoned the core responsibilities of her office to pursue a partisan, woke agenda. The legislative proposals offered today represent definitive steps to give riders critical safety measures that are long overdue. It’s time to move these ideas forward, and time to elect an Attorney General who’s interested in protecting New Yorkers and restoring a commitment to law and order.”

“While New York Democrats falsely claim New York’s subways are safer than ever, innocent New Yorkers continue to fall victim to acts of violent crime. The latest being Richard Williams – an 83 year old veteran who served our nation – who was callously murdered by an illegal migrant who had already been deported four times. It is clear that our system is broken. I will be introducing bills in the coming weeks aimed at increasing safety on New York’s mass transit system by enhancing penalties and expanding the Attorney General’s authority to ban repeat offenders from abusing the transit system. New Yorkers need Saritha Komatireddy to restore credibility to the AG’s office, protect New Yorkers, and hold criminals accountable,” said Senator Steve Chan.

Assemblyman Michael Novakhov (R,C-Brooklyn) said, “The shocking and deadly attack on Richard Williams demands immediate action. Riders deserve to feel safe, not fearful, on public transit. We must increase law-enforcement presence, establish strict penalties for violent crime, and restore order in our subways. The subways are not a place for the mentally ill. While New York City Democrats bury their heads in the sand, Republicans are offering meaningful solutions. The MTA’s forensic audit is long overdue, and resources should be directed toward security measures rather than hefty bonuses. Enough is enough—New Yorkers refuse to accept this. Greater subway safety is not optional; it is essential for a livable city.”

Komatireddy outlined a series of measures to crack down on crime in the transit system. This starts with enforcement of the transit laws through: 

• A Zero-Tolerance Policy for Transit Crime: Ensure prosecution of transit crimes and limit charge-bargaining and plea-bargaining as to those crimes.

• Imposition of Transit Bans on Repeat Offenders: Work with the MTA to issue trespass notices to repeat and violent offenders, to remove them from the transit system altogether. Criminals who cannot respect the rules of mass transit, just like with the rules of the road, should be removed from the transit system altogether.

• Creation of a Transit Crimes Strike Force within the Attorney General’s Office: Add a unit of criminal prosecutors to support and, when necessary, supersede District Attorneys to ensure enforcement of the transit laws. 

Komatireddy also called for new legislation imposing stronger penalties for offenses committed on public transit:

• New Penalty Enhancements for Crimes Committed in Mass Transit Systems: Add a new section of the penal law that would enhance the category of offense by one level for specified offenses – including assault, strangulation, rape, arson, robbery, prostitution, weapons possession, and drug trafficking – when the offense is committed in a public transportation system. (For example, Assault 3rd, currently a misdemeanor, would become a felony).

• New Felony Offense for Pushing a Victim onto Train Tracks: Create a new felony offense of Reckless Endangerment on Public Transportation, punishable by a maximum sentence of 25 years to life, when a person intentionally shoves, strikes, kicks or otherwise subjects another person to physical contact which causes such other person to fall on train or subway tracks or creates a risk of subjecting such person to a collision with a vehicle.

• Life Imprisonment for Murder Committed in a Mass Transit System: Amend the Murder in the First Degree statute to include intentional and depraved indifference homicides on public transportation property, which would subject a person convicted of such offense to be sentenced to life without parole.
  
• Introduction of Transit Marshals: Allow retired law enforcement officers to serve as Transit Marshals to provide security similar to federal air marshals.y General, visit SarithaForNewYork.com.

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