Elderly Man Randomly Punches 61-Year-Old Straphanger at West 4 Street Subway Station

Grumpy Old Men? Elderly Attacker Randomly Punches 61-Year-Old Man at West 4 Street Subway Station 

By Staff Reporter 

Manhattan Voice 

January 30, 2026

NEW YORK CITY — A quiet Monday evening commute turned violent in Manhattan when an elderly man was randomly assaulted inside one of the city’s busiest subway stations, according to the NYPD.

Police say the incident happened on January 5, 2026, around 5:38 p.m., inside the West 4 Street subway station, a major transit hub serving multiple lines in Lower Manhattan. A 61-year-old male straphanger was standing in the mezzanine area when another older man suddenly approached and punched him on the right side of the head without warning.

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There was no argument. No interaction. Just a single punch—and then the suspect was gone.

The victim suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene by EMS, police said. He declined further medical treatment and was not transported to a hospital.

The suspect immediately fled the station, hopping aboard a southbound A train and escaping to parts unknown. Investigators say the attack appears to be unprovoked, adding to ongoing concerns about random assaults in New York City subway stations, particularly during evening rush hour.

The NYPD has released surveillance images and is asking for the public’s help identifying the suspect, who is described as a male with a dark complexion and is approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall. He was last seen wearing a gray jacket, black sweater, green pants, white hat and multicolored sneakers

While subway crime often focuses on younger offenders, this case stands out because both the suspect and the victim appear to be older men—a detail that has raised eyebrows among transit riders and safety advocates.

Random assaults involving elderly suspects are relatively rare, but transit officials say age does not eliminate the risk of unpredictable behavior in crowded public spaces.

The NYPD urges anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information about the West 4 Street subway station assault to come forward.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, on X @NYPDTips. 

All calls are confidential.