A chilling video captures the moment a Queens straphanger accidentally bumps into another rider, the ensuing altercation, and his final moments before he rolled off the platform to his death, according to reports. Police told the New York Post, that they have reviewed the surveillance video footage that shows the victim being shoved onto the tracks.
The surveillance footage, which was seen by an officer who recounted the incident to The NY Post, shows suspect Carlos Garcia, 50, initially standing close to the edge of the subway platform at the Jackson Heights Roosevelt Avenue station during rush hour on Monday evening just before the incident.
Killed in Cold Blood
According to reports, the two men had an altercation after that before the victim was pushed onto the tracks. An inbound train then ran over him killing him instantly. The surveillance video shows the 48-year-old victim, identified by the authorities as Heriberto Quintana, then seen approaching Garcia while strolling along the platform's edge.
According to the police official, Quintana crashes into Garcia, forcing the suspect's phone to fall down the railroad tracks.
Police were told by witnesses that Garcia demanded to know whether Quintana would get his phone for him. The men are then seen in the video on the ground, scuffling along the yellow edge of the subway platform, as the subway barrels into the station, the official said.
The headlights of an approaching train obscure what occurs immediately after, but the men are then seen in the video, the official said.
As the approaching train draws closer, Quintana can be seen tumbling off the platform and onto the track bed, where he was tragically struck, the official told the outlet, adding that the footage does not appear to show an intentional shove.
The police officer said that a flash of light can be seen when the victim is struck by the train, which comes to a halt after that.
Garcia can be seen on his knees on the platform when the subway stops, and looked upset in the video, according to police sources quoted by the outlet.
Senseless Crime
Although the shove didn't appear to be intentional, Garcia has seen been arrested and charged with murder. Quintana, on the other hand, was remembered by his family and friends as a kind-hearted person, devoted husband and loving father of three.
His devasted wife Hilda Rojas spoke to CBS2 as she wiped away her tears as struggled to understand why or how her husband Quintana died.
She said that she received a call from the hospital on Monday night informing her that her husband was there. She made a request to talk to him. She understood something wasn't right when she heard "no."
Rojas who spoke in Spanish told the news channel that her husband was kind to everyone and never got into arguments. They have lived here for many years, and out of their three children, two are now adults and the third is 14 years old.
Quintana worked in construction in order to help them. He started commuting the train just after switching jobs a week ago. He hurried home Monday night to accompany his wife to her dialysis appointment.
She claims that investigators informed her that he resisted jumping down to collect it, resulting in a brawl. After a struggle on the floor, Quintana was struck by a
MTA President Richard Davey spoke about the incident and expressed regret about how things were handled while stopping at Union Square. "My god, please, de-escalate situations. We can get your phones or personal effects that fall on the tracks. We do it all the time," he said.
