A Bronx man has been arrested after shocking footage from the New York Police Department shows him allegedly smearing feces on a woman’s face in a subway station, Fox 5 reports.
Police say the attack took place on Feb. 21 at the East 241st Street subway station in New York City. The footage shows the woman sitting on a bench, before the man approaches her with what looks to be a plastic bag. He throws the bag at the front of her face and the back of her head repeatedly as she tries to protect herself.
Frank Abrokwa, 37, has been charged with forcible touching, menacing, disorderly conduct and harassment.
After the arrest, Mayor Eric Adams called the incident a “horrific experience for anyone to go through.”
“Human waste or someone spitting in your face, those are real signs of mental health issues … and we really must dig into how we’re dealing with these mental health issues,” Adams said, per the New York Post.
The attack took place after at least 6 stabbings were reported on the New York subway system that weekend. The stabbings followed the announcement of Adams’ and New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s 7-page public safety initiative called “Safety Subway Plan.”
The separate stabbings took place in Queens, Brooklyn, Harlem, and Manhattan. The mayor and governor’s plan hopes to “begin addressing public safety concerns and supporting people experiencing homelessness and serious mental illness on New York City’s subways.”
“For too long our mental health care system suffered from disinvestment, and the pandemic has only made things harder for New Yorkers with serious mental illness who are experiencing homelessness,” Hochul said. “We must work together to keep our subways—the lifeblood of New York City—safe for all riders, and to get help and services to those in need.”
