Who is Sabir Jones? Man arrested for shoving commuter into moving NYC subway train may have attacked a 65-year-old woman in July
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: "Emotionally disturbed" New Jersey man, Sabir Jones, who shoved a 30-year-old woman into the side of a departing train in posh 5th Avenue, may have battered a 65-year-old New York woman twice from behind at another upscale train station in July.
Jones, 39, stands accused of pushing a 30-year-old woman into the train on October 18 at around noon in the crowded subway station at 53rd Street and 5th Avenue — a bustling area full of office buildings and busy storefronts.
However, the incident hardly provoked an inquiry until this most recent victim was in critical condition.
As per Fox News Digital, the victim from July said, "If they had taken this as a felony and someone looked at the videotape, maybe this woman wouldn’t have had her head smashed in. They would’ve seen that he's out of control."
What happened to the July victim?
The victim from July said that she was struck from behind by someone at about 8 am in Grand Central Station when she was traveling to work. She ignored it and continued toward her train platform, not even turning to look back.
She claimed that as she descended the last flight of stairs, the suspect struck her once more, giving her a double-handed chop.
The victim apparently recognized her alleged attacker, Sabir Jones, from video footage police had released during a manhunt for him last week. Startled bystanders watched as he squatted down "like a gargoyle" and began to scream back.
Surprisingly, the attack was described as a "slap" in the incident report, and no injuries were mentioned.
The individual told Fox News Digital that she turned down medical care because she was worried about contracting Covid-19 if she went to the hospital.
What did the victim from July say about police taking action against Sabir Jones?
The attack victim from July 12 told Fox News Digital that she does not believe the police treated her violent attack at Grand Central Station effectively and that if they had, the suspect might not have been able to almost murder the second victim.
She said that the incident report classified it as a minor harassment case rather than an assault. Under "Granny's Law," the 65-year-old victim from July wants to know why he was not investigated.
Jones is now facing assault charges, she added, after she recognized him as her assailant from seeing his photo on the TV.
The elderly victim said, "This is a double-edged sword here. If you're going to change the laws, and you're going to make it so people that are mentally ill and attacking people cannot be forced to take their medicine – and then you're not locking them up."
It's a "sick" system, and she refuses to accept any part of it. She added that it's somewhat recent, having taken the subway to work since the 1970s and only recently developing a fear of strangers attacking her at random.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office stated that until Jones is extradited from New Jersey, it is prohibited to comment on any of the charges against him. It was unclear when extradition would take place.
What is Granny's Law?
According to New York's "Granny's Law," it is illegal to attack someone 65 years of age or older if the suspect is at least ten years younger than the victim. According to it, the maximum term for a conviction is seven years in prison.
Sabir Jones was taken into custody in Newark
Having been accused of pushing an unidentified rider into a moving train in New York City, Sabir Jones, who has a long criminal record including firearms charges and flinging urine at a police officer, was taken into custody in Newark.
He was apprehended on Thursday, October 19, in New Jersey, where investigators said he was the subject of at least two dozen previous arrests spanning more than ten years.
According to Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Frage, the accused was detained by local police after being spotted at McCarter Highway and Raymond Boulevard in Newark.
Jones was arrested over a day after he is said to have pushed the unwitting 30-year-old victim into a departing downtown F train at the 5th Avenue/53rd Street station around noon.
After suffering a head injury, the unidentified woman was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
According to a Patch, the Jones has been diagnosed with psychosis and depression and is known to frequently travel McCarter Highway as well as sleep at Newark Penn Station.
Sabir Jones allegedly struck a 26-year-old man
Law enforcement officials claimed that in what seemed to be a random attack, Sabir Jones had allegedly previously smacked a 26-year-old guy who was getting off a northbound E train.
According to the reports, the victim did not disclose the crime until almost 8 pm after watching news footage of Jones.
As per Robert Florida, a spokesman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, the suspect appeared to be the same Jones who had at least 40 criminal cases in Essex County, New Jersey, between 2012 and 2020, including charges related to drug possession, assault, and sex crimes.
According to FOX 5 New York, 37 individuals have been pushed onto subway tracks in the past two years. Among them was the 40-year-old Michelle Go, who died after being shoved into the station at Times Square.