William Blount: NYC subway attacker who hammered scientist Nina Rothschild 13 times arrested
QUEENS, NEW YORK: The man who attacked Department of Health scientist Nina Rothschild in a gory subway attack has been identified as 57-year-old William Blount. He was nabbed by New York Police Department officers on Sunday, February 27, 2022. It has been found that Blount has a long rap sheet with more than six prior arrests on charges of robbery and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
On Thursday, February 24, Rothschild was attacked by Blount around 11:20 pm when she was entering the Queens Plaza (E, M, R) station. According to her brother Gerson Rothschild, Nina was "just walking down the steps to get into the subway on the way home from work when she was attacked by somebody from behind. She apparently remembers all of that and she kept screaming, 'stop, stop' but the person either wouldn't stop." Blount reportedly struck her on the head with a hammer as many as 13 times leaving her critically wounded.
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"The attacker, now recognized as William Blount, ultimately grabbed her bag with the cellphone and personal papers, and some jewelry and ran off with it," Nina Rothschild's brother added. Police report listed two cellphones, debit cards, credit cards, and some cash among the stolen items.
Blount's previous criminal records reveal that he had served time in prison in the past, when he was convicted in the late 1980s for criminal sale of a controlled substance.
According to reports, Nina Rothschild is a graduate of the Mailman School at Columbia University and has worked in public health for years. She has also worked towards the prevention of HIV and mental health issues.
On Thursday, she was found by officers lying on the ground in a very serious condition. She was immediately transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who recently declared his Subway Safety Plan, had denounced the attack saying, "A woman taking the train should not be struck in the head with a hammer.”
Gerson Rothschild expressed his relief at the news of William Blount's arrest, as he told New York Post, "Nina would be hopeful that the individual would get the treatment that he needs during his time of incarceration."
Speaking about his sister's health, he noted, "Happily, Nina is indeed getting stronger by the day. Intellectually she is clear on events from 30 years ago and from 3 days ago." He also thanked her doctors at NYP-Weill Cornell for relieving "the increased intracranial pressure immediately upon her arrival at the hospital", which eventually saved her life.