Woman kicked down Brooklyn subway station escalator

Surveillance footage of the alleged attack. Photo / NYPD

The New York Police Department are searching for a man who allegedly kicked a woman down a subway station escalator after she confronted him for shoving into her.

Surveillance cameras captured the moment when the man turned to the 32-year-old woman after pushing past her, and appeared to strike her in the chest, causing her to fall to the bottom of the escalator.

The NYPD said the altercation took place at the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Centre Station in Brooklyn around 7.15pm on Thursday.

According to the Daily News, the woman told her attacker to "say excuse me" as he moved past her. He responded "I did" before appearing to kick her in the chest.

Police say the woman suffered cuts and bruises to her back, arms, legs, right knee and right thigh and trauma to her left ankle, but she refused medical attention at the scene.

The NYPD released photos of the suspect on Sunday night and are asking for the public's help in identifying him.

🚨WANTED for ASSAULT: Do you know this guy? On 9/9/21 at approx 7:15 PM, at the Atlantic Ave-Barclays Center Station in Brooklyn, the suspect kicked a 32-year-old woman in the chest, causing her to fall down the escalator. Any info? DM @NYPDTips, or anonymously call 800-577-TIPS. pic.twitter.com/j6yFToIlvU

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) September 13, 2021

All of New York's 472 subway stations are equipped with security cameras because of a spike in crime in the subway system over the past year.

Subway ridership fell more than 90 per cent during the height of the pandemic and continues to lag far below pre-pandemic levels. A Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) survey in the spring found that crime and harassment were as big a concern as Covid-19 for riders weighing whether to return to the subways, despite hundreds of additional city police officers at stations.

Although crime has continued to be an issue, the MTA said the increased number of cameras has helped increase arrests by more than 28 per cent.

Some of the cameras broadcast in real time to the subway's security centre, and others record locally and can provide footage that can be used in criminal investigations, according to the MTA.

- additional reporting: AP