Weekend Violence: MTA Employees Assaulted in Separate Incidents in Queens and Brooklyn
In a disturbing turn of events, two Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) employees were assaulted in separate incidents across Queens and Brooklyn over the weekend. The assaults occurred within hours of each other, raising concerns about safety among transit workers.
Early Morning Attack in Queens
The incidents began on Sunday morning around 6:00 a.m. when 38-year-old Luis Mizhquiri allegedly assaulted a 52-year-old train cleaner aboard an F train at the Jamaica-179th Street station. Eyewitness accounts suggest that the attack was triggered when the cleaner attempted to wake Mizhquiri, who was reportedly asleep on the train. Officials stated that Mizhquiri reacted violently, striking the worker in the face, which resulted in significant pain for the victim, who declined medical assistance at the scene.
Mizhquiri was arrested by responding officers and charged with second-degree assault and harassment. At his arraignment on Monday, Judge Sharifa Nasser-Cuellar set bail at $7,500 cash or $22,000 bond. It was noted that Mizhquiri was also being held due to an outstanding fine related to a prior DWI arrest from March 2019.
Second Assault in Brooklyn
Just under two hours later, around 7:40 a.m., another MTA employee faced a similar fate. Selene Cruz, 32, confronted a transit attendant after missing a shuttle bus in Williamsburg. Angered that the bus had departed from the Broadway and Hooper Street stop without allowing her on board, Cruz allegedly threw an unknown liquid at the attendant and struck him in the mouth.
The attacked employee, a 49-year-old man, also opted to forgo medical attention. Cruz was apprehended shortly after by local law enforcement, who were canvassing the area. She faces charges of assault and attempted assault, both in the third degree, as well as second-degree harassment. Unlike Mizhquiri, Cruz, who has no prior arrests, was released on her own recognizance during her arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court, despite prosecutors requesting supervised release.
Rising Concerns for Transit Safety
These events prompt a rising concern regarding the safety of transit workers in New York City. As assaults on MTA employees become more frequent, advocates are calling for increased protection and support for those dedicated to keeping the city’s transit system running smoothly.
Developing updates on the conditions of the victims and additional responses from MTA officials may follow as the investigation continues.
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