A 90-year-old professor was shoved off the NYC subway after asking a stranger to move. Now he needs a hip replacement
There is no excuse for this.
A 90-year-old former astrophysics professor is recovering after a stranger shoved him out of a New York City subway train and onto the platform, leaving him with broken bones and a hip injury. Dr. C.G. Wang was riding the subway to the Lexington Avenue and East 53rd Street station in Manhattan when the incident happened.
He told ABC7 New York that he had made the trip thousands of times over roughly a decade and knew which train door would put him closest to the escalator. That afternoon, a man was standing in front of the door Wang needed to use.
Wang said he told the stranger he needed to get off, and the man stepped aside. But when the doors opened, Wang said, the stranger shoved him so hard that he flew out of the train and onto the platform. Police have since released surveillance images of the man they are seeking in connection with the assault.
All he wanted was to get off the train
Wang described the fall, saying he landed on his hip first, then his shoulder and head. Although he said his head was not injured, the impact left him requiring surgery.
His son, Juin Wang, met him at the hospital. He said police told the family that his father had been pushed rather than simply falling. “Who does this? You know, who would shove a 90-year-old, frail, visually impaired man?” Juin said. Encounters on the subway can also leave witnesses unsure how to respond. In a separate incident, riders debated what to do when a passenger’s behavior prompted someone to call 911.
The attack has also reportedly disrupted the older man’s independence. According to his family, Wang had continued commuting to an office to conduct research and write before the incident. He said he had never previously experienced a serious accident or been hospitalized for an injury. For someone who had spent years making the same journey, a routine subway ride has now become a major obstacle to recovering his mobility.
Police are still looking for the man who shoved him
The NYPD released surveillance images and video of a suspect about two weeks after the October 6 incident. The man has not been publicly identified, and police are asking anyone who recognizes him to come forward. Earlier this month, a fatal NYC subway stabbing also instigated an investigation.
Wang’s family said its priority is helping him recover and regain the independence he had before the attack. They also hope the person responsible will be held accountable so another passenger does not experience the same thing.
For now, the 90-year-old is left recovering from injuries sustained. Anyone with information can contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
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