“Nobody Helped Me!” Bronx Nurse Shoved Face-First Into Oncoming NYC Subway Train by Deranged Stranger in Horrifying Random Attack
A Bronx nurse is speaking out after surviving a terrifying random shove into an oncoming subway train, highlighting the growing fears over unprovoked violence in New York City’s transit system and the shocking indifference of bystanders.
Josue Romano, 47, was waiting for a southbound D train at the Fordham Road station in the Bronx around 2:20 p.m. on June 27 when the nightmare unfolded. As he stood on the platform, Romano noticed a man acting erratically nearby. The stranger, described as unhinged and possibly under the influence of drugs, was pacing and rummaging through a duffel bag. Sensing danger amid the city’s well-known subway risks, Romano tried to keep his distance and move away from the edge.
But it wasn’t enough. In a split second, the attacker lunged from behind and violently shoved Romano face-first toward the incoming train. “I glanced to the right, and I see something white coming towards me,” Romano recalled. “It was real fast… I didn’t have time to react.” The force sent him crashing into the side of the train, leaving him unconscious and bleeding on the platform with a concussion, facial injuries, and damage to his mouth. He was later treated at St. Barnabas Hospital.
What makes the ordeal even more chilling is the complete lack of help from those around him. “Did anybody help me out? Nobody helped me out,” Romano told reporters. “No, not even the conductor. There were people inside the train, and nobody came out to ask what happened to me. Nothing.” The attacker casually remained at the scene before fleeing and remains at large. NYPD released blurry surveillance footage showing the suspect in a white undershirt and dark pants, urging the public to come forward with tips.
This random assault fits into a troubling pattern of subway shoves across New York City. While officials tout modest declines in overall major crime, felony assaults in the subways have risen, fueling public skepticism. Romano himself dismissed safety statistics, saying, “The statistics don’t mean anything… Crime has grown more now than before. It’s just growing and growing.”
For Romano, a dedicated nurse, the trauma has been profound. Once a routine commuter, he now feels intense fear about returning to the rails. The incident has left him questioning the safety of everyday life in the city he calls home, where random encounters with disturbed individuals can turn deadly in an instant.
Subway push attacks have unfortunately become a recurring horror in NYC, often involving mentally unstable or drug-affected perpetrators targeting strangers without warning. Bystander apathy, as experienced by Romano, amplifies the terror — victims not only face physical harm but also isolation in their moment of need. Authorities continue to investigate, but cases like this underscore ongoing challenges with mental health support, policing, and platform safety measures such as barriers.
Romano’s story serves as a stark reminder for New Yorkers to stay vigilant. As he recovers, his call for awareness resonates: in a city that never sleeps, the subways can quickly become arenas of unpredictable danger where help is never guaranteed. The NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline remains open for any information on the suspect.
