Police have identified and charged the man they say pushed a person in front of a 4 train Monday night, leading to their death.

Police said the incident appeared to be unprovoked.


What You Need To Know

  • A person was pushed in front of a 4 train Monday night, leading to their death, officials said

  • Carlton McPherson, 24, of the Bronx, has been charged with murder, according to authorities

  • According to police, McPherson has a history of mental illness and a long record

Carlton McPherson, 24, of the Bronx, has been charged with murder, according to authorities. Originally, police said the person they took into custody was 45 years old.

The NYPD responded to a call around 7 p.m. Wednesday about an incident on the 4, 5 and 6 line on 125th Street.

The driver of the train was unable to stop in time.

The victim has not yet been identified.

The incident comes after the NYPD surged 1,000 additional cops into the system the first week of February amid a nearly 50% rise in crime over the prior in January. As well as Gov. Kathy Hochul adding 250 state and MTA police, plus 750 National Guard members, to the subways amid some high-profile subway shootings and slashings.

The NYPD also announced Monday “Operation Fare Play,” which is a surge of 800 more officers for fare evasion enforcement.

Officials said fare evasion arrests lead to 11 of the 20 guns recovered so far this year.

However, riders at 125th Street are standing way back from the edge of the platform.

“Stay away from the edge. They gotta get more mental health. They gotta address the mental health in New York City,” Tony Serrano, a subway rider, said.

“You just always have to use precautions. This is New York, and unfortunately there are just a lot of undiagnosed people here. It’s just sad,” Alethia Edmunds, a subway rider, said.

According to police, McPherson has a history of mental illness and a long record. His recent arrests include two for burglary in September, one arrest for assault on Halloween and one arrest for fare evasion in November, officials said.

As McPherson faces murder charges, Sammy Sanchez remembers the victim as a kind man.

“He was an honest person, you know. He was a sincere gentleman and you know he always respected me. He held the door for me open plenty of times when I came up the stairs with my wife,” Sanchez, the victim’s neighbor, said.