After several surgeries, Myron Pollack is recovering in the hospital after being stabbed multiple times.
Pollack was working as a train operator at the Crown Heights-Utica Avenue Station when he was attacked Tuesday.
What You Need To Know
- After several surgeries, Myron Pollack is recovering in the hospital after being stabbed multiple times
- Pollack was working as a train operator at the Crown Heights-Utica Avenue station when he was attacked Tuesday
- John Davalos, who is accused of stabbing Pollack, pleaded not-guilty Friday and is being held without bail
- Following Davalos' court appearance, members of the Transit Workers Union Local 100 called for better worker protections
“If they don’t have respect for those people. Then they don’t have respect for people out here,” Crown Heights resident Pete Ortiz said.
“He got up that morning to go to work, and he suffered this unfortunate event,” another Crown Heights resident, Latonia Sanders, said.
Police said John Davalos refused to get off the train when it reached its final stop. He’s now indicted, charged with second-degree attempted murder.
Davalos pleaded not-guilty Friday and is being held without bail.
“We want to make sure that the attempted murder charges are upheld, and he goes away for the rest of his life and never comes back in the street,” TWU Local 100 president Richard Davis said.
Following Davalos’ court appearance, members of the Transit Workers Union Local 100 called for better worker protections.
“Our members are being assaulted. We need the MTA to authorize and approve a list of policy changes,” Rapid Transit Operations vice president Canella Gomez said.
Union leaders called for two train operators per train because they said it’s no longer safe for workers to be by themselves.
They’re also calling for expanded “orders of protection to cover the transit system.” That means those who carry out violent crimes would not be allowed to use the transit system.
“We have to find a way for the criminal justice system to protect New Yorkers and especially transit riders from people who want to do harm to them again and again,” MTA chair and CEO Janno Lieber said of repeat offenders earlier in the week.
Regarding union leaders’ demands, the MTA said it can’t comment unless a formal proposal is submitted.
Straphangers are pleased to hear Pollack is on the mend, but remain rattled by the attack.
“Every day, you don’t know what you’re walking into, and it’s really unfortunate,” Sanders said.
NY1 reached out to Davalos’ attorneys, who have not responded.