NEW YORK — The NYPD is looking for the suspect seen in disturbing cellphone video attempting to brazenly rape a woman on a Manhattan subway platform.
Police said the “brutal sexual attack” happened as the woman, 25, was waiting for a Q train at a station in midtown Saturday morning.
Transit Police Chief Edward Delatorre said Sunday on Twitter that officers want to hear from subway riders who intervened, saving the woman from further harm.
“We’re seeking the public’s help finding this man, wanted for attempted rape after this brazen and brutal sexual assault yesterday at the 63rd St / Lexington Ave station,” Delatorre said.
Police released a photo of the suspect taken from the video, Fox5NY reported.
Bystanders stop brazen rape attempt on UES subway platform https://t.co/RaNv1jWRKk
— FOX 5 NY (@fox5ny) August 30, 2020
The video shows the man on top of the woman and then walking away after picking up a pair of sunglasses he had dropped.
Police said the victim suffered minor injuries but refused medical attention, according to Fox.
NBC 4 New York reported that those who saw what was happening yelled at the attacker, “Hey get off her!” as the woman screamed for help.
“This is disturbing and disgraceful. No one should ever have to experience this type of horrific attack in the transit system,” said Abbey Collins, a spokesperson for the MTA. “The MTA is working closely with the NYPD to find the suspect and hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
———
UPDATE: A Bronx man was arrested Sunday in the attempted rape of a 25-year-old woman on an Upper East Side subway platform — a disturbing daytime attack that was caught on video and ultimately thwarted by fellow New Yorkers, police said.
Jose Reyes, 31, is accused of pouncing on the woman around 11 a.m. Saturday inside the Lexington Avenue and East 63 Street F train station, the New York Post reported.
“This heinous and horrendous act was interrupted by a good Samaritan who observed Mr. Reyes’ behavior and got him to cease his behavior while subsequently videotaping the incident,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said at a press conference.
Reyes was charged with attempted rape, sexually motivated assault, assault and harassment, cops said.
He’s got a record on charges such as robbery, grand larceny, petty larceny, assault of a police officer and others, according to police sources.
At least three of Reyes’ prior arrests were on transit, though none were sexual in nature, cops said.
The NYPD’s facial recognition team matched video of the subway attack to a photo of Reyes from a previous arrest.
The video and three tips to the Crime Stoppers hotline were “very instrumental in apprehending our individual,” Harrison said.
The tips led patrol officers with the 23rd Precinct to a street corner in East Harlem where Reyes was taken in at around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.
