NYPD officers, bystander save man who fell subway tracks

NEW YORK (AP) — Two New York City police officers and a bystander raced to save a man who fell on the tracks at a Manhattan subway station, plucking him out of the way of an oncoming train in a daring rescue captured by an officer’s body camera.

The incident happened around 4 p.m. Thursday at the 116th Street station in East Harlem. The man, whom police said fell by accident, was taken to a hospital with injuries to his hand and back.

Officers Brunel Victor and Taufique Bokth were on patrol at the station when they saw a commotion and heard a scream from the opposite side of the station, police said.

They ran up and down stairs, through an emergency exit and onto the tracks, pulling the man to safety with the assistance of a bystander who was already trying to help, police said.

Bystanders then helped the officers climb back to the platform, just before a 6 train pulled into the station.

“Our daily thing is to help people. We don’t care what if we have to put ourselves on the line. That’s why we do, that’s why we take this job,” Victor told WABC-TV.

Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell praised the officers in a tweet, writing: “The heroics of NY’s Finest always amazes me…. the courage is second nature. Join me in saluting these great cops!”

Officers Victor and Bokth were assigned to the subway station as part of Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams’ efforts to beef up security in the system.

Janno Lieber, the chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority which runs the subway system, said having extra officers posted to trains and stations “not only helps riders feel safer, but in this case enabled brave officers and a good Samaritan — in the finest tradition of New Yorkers helping each other — to save a life.”