The New Yorker accused of shoving a stranger in front of an oncoming subway has appeared in court following the near-fatal incident on New Year’s Eve.
Kamel Hawkins, 23, looked on indifferently as he was arraigned on attempted murder and second-degree assault charges at Manhattan Criminal Court on New Year’s Day.
He did not enter a plea over the sickening attack against a 45-year-old man, who was launched into the path of a train at 18th street in Chelsea around 1.30pm.
The unnamed victim miraculously survived after landing on the center of the tracks, but suffered a fractured skull, four broken ribs and a ruptured spleen during the fall, per the New York Times.
Hawkins wore a gray hoodie and black tracksuit pants with white trainers for his arraignment. He is due to enter a plea at the Supreme Court at a later date.
NYPD told DailyMail.com they recorded 24 incidents of people being pushed onto subway tracks this year – a 41 percent increase on last year’s total of 17.
Surveillance footage caught the horrific incident on Tuesday afternoon. The subway shover paced behind the victim for several seconds before pushing him onto the tracks as a train approached.
Pictures show the moment Hawkins was captured by police and escorted through the subway into custody.
Kamel Hawkins (pictured), who is accused of shoving a stranger in front of an oncoming subway has appeared in court following the near-fatal incident on New Year’s Eve
Hawkins, 23, looked on indifferently as he was arraigned on attempted murder and second-degree assault charges at Manhattan Criminal Court on New Year’s Day
Hawkins wore a gray hoodie and black tracksuit pants with white trainers for his arraignment. He is due to enter a plea at the Supreme Court at a later date
A law enforcement official told the New York Post the man survived because ‘he fell perfectly in the trench,’ describing the near miss as an act of God.
According to the publication, Hawkins has a pending assault cases going through the courts.
He was allegedly charged with assault in June 2019 after attacking a police officer, and was charged on October 12 for assault, harassment and possession of weapons.
Cops said the subway shover did not appear to know the victim, and described it as a random attack.
Two young men who jumped the turnstile to avoid paying for their ticket just seconds before then turned and fled after witnessing the shocking attack.
It is the latest in a string of concerning attacks on the New York City subway system, after a woman was tragically and fatally set alight by a stranger earlier this month.
Separate footage shared by stunned passengers later showed the moment the victim was rescued from under the train.
Around a dozen firefighters were worked to pull the man from the subway tracks. Authorities said the victim, who appeared to have blood on his face, was hospitalized in critical condition.
A woman filming the encounter could be heard expressing her relief that the victim had survived as he was helped onto the platform.
‘He’s alive!’ she said, before turning to other passengers and repeating: ‘He’s alive.’
The subway platform was evacuated and the NYPD closed the scene as they investigated the incident.
Kamel Hawkins, 23, looked on indifferently as he was arraigned on attempted murder and second-degree assault charges at Manhattan Criminal Court on January 1
Tuesday’s incident took place just hours before up to one million people packed out nearby Times Square to celebrate the end of 2024 and ring in the new year.
Travelers are directed to use the subway amid mass road closures, with increased services coming into and out of the city.
The latest incident will put more pressure on officials to bring an end to horror subway attacks.
On Christmas Eve, two people were injured in Manhattan’s Grand Central Station after a maniac went on a stabbing rampage.
Sources told DailyMail.com at the time that a 28-year-old man slashed two strangers with a knife in the seemingly random attack just after 10pm at the busy tourist hotspot.
And just days before, the Big Apple was stunned when a homeless woman was set on fire and burned to death while she slept on a subway car.
The victim was identified Tuesday by the NYPD as Debrina Kawam, a 61-year-old homeless woman from New Jersey.
Kawam’s murder captured international headlines as people were left reeling by the response of the NYPD.
The woman who was set on fire and burned to death on a New York City subway car has been identified as Debrina Kawam of New Jersey
Condemnation of the response from officials was led on Tuesday by New York Congressman Ritchie Torres, who slammed fellow Democrat New York Governor Kathy Hochul
An officer was seen walking past the victim while she was still ablaze, while the man who allegedly set her on fire – illegal immigrant Sebastian Zepeta – stood by fanning the flames with his jacket.
Zepeta, 33, is facing murder and arson charges following the horror incident.
Officials used fingerprint data, dental records and DNA evidence to identify Kawam, and said she was believed to have been homeless. She was originally from Tom’s River, New Jersey.
Kawam was reportedly sleeping on the subway car around 7:30am on December 22 at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn when she was set ablaze.
Shocked social media users blasted the police response – describing the behavior of cops caught on camera as ‘cowardly’ and ‘shameful’ while calling for them to be named or fired.
Despite widespread outrage at the cop failing to step in, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Titsch praised the police response to the heinous incident as ‘an example of great technology and even greater old fashioned police work’ during a press conference on Sunday night.
Condemnation of the response from officials was led on Tuesday by New York Congressman Ritchie Torres, who slammed fellow Democrat New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
The same day Kawam was identified, Hochul shared a tweet boasting of ‘dedicating our efforts to putting more money in your pockets and building an Empire State where everyone has an opportunity to succeed.’
Torres said in response: ‘On the same day the murder victim of the subway fire, Debrina Kawam (61) was finally identified, Governor Hochul feels the need to take a victory lap.
”Mission accomplished’ is the ultimate form of gaslighting.’
