After an MTA supervisor nearly lost his life during a recent unprovoked attack on a subway platform, MTA officials are demanding justice from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg after the suspect was merely charged with a misdemeanor.
Saim Montakim, 49, had finished performing an inspection of the 96th Street subway station at approximately 3 a.m. April 18, when he was allegedly assaulted on the train platform by 34-year-old Nnamadi Okoro, according to the New York Post. “He had the intention to push me on the tracks. He had intentions to kill me,” Montakim told the outlet.
Montankim explained at the time of the attack he was standing fairly close to the yellow line as the train was approaching. “It happened so quick. Thank God I did not fall on the tracks,” he stated.
Mugged MTA supervisor blasts Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg https://t.co/hFWyQFP5ns pic.twitter.com/PxguchMMSU
— New York Post (@nypost) April 29, 2023
Instead, Montankim says he was able to retreat to the stairway where he pulled out his badge, identifying himself as an MTA supervisor. At that point, Okoro allegedly punched Montankim in the face several times before fleeing the scene, the outlet stated.
A new law, signed by Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul in June 2022, made attacking MTA workers a felony within the state of New York. Individuals found guilty of assaulting a transit worker under the new rules could face up to seven years in prison. Okoro was charged only with a misdemeanor — third-degree assault — carrying with it a penalty of up to a year in jail — something MTA Union President Michael Carrube called “outrageous and unacceptable,” according to the New York Post.
“The law we passed last year making assaults on supervisors an assault in the second degree was passed because our members are getting assaulted at an alarming rate — 14 assaults in stations division alone last year and five already this year. There must be zero tolerance for these violent attacks on my members,” he added.
Transit President Richard Davey echoed Carrube’s sentiments, calling on Bragg to “provide maximum possible justice for the victim, including consideration of banning the attacker from NYC Transit,” the outlet stated. (RELATED: Soros-Backed Chicago Prosecutor Won’t Run For Reelection)
As for 10-year MTA veteran Montakim, the attack has left him forever scarred. “I don’t think I will ever forget this incident. I never thought it could happen to me,” he told the New York Post. “Most of the time I use public transportation. Now, I’m really scared to even go near a subway station.”
Montakim added he not only believes Okoro should be banned from using the transit system, but that the suspect should be placed behind bars.