I'm not sure that the New York City subway system has ever had a sterling reputation in the safety department, but lately, a series of heinous attacks in/around the trains has underscored just how dangerous utilizing the mass transit system can be. 

Following last week's horrific incident involving a woman being burned alive, the Guardian Angels have returned to patrolling the Big Apple's subways. 

Arrest Made in Horrific NYC Subway Attack That Burned Woman Alive

It's On: The Guardian Angels Return to Patrolling the New York City Subway After Woman Murdered With Fire

Tuesday afternoon, just as the city prepares to ring in the New Year, another horrific attack occurred on a subway platform. A man was shoved in front of a moving train and is now fighting for his life. 

Warning: Disturbing video.

🚨 #BREAKING: A man was just PUSHED in front of a NYC Subway train in an apparent “random attack”

The man is currently in critical condition, and witnesses can be heard shouting “he’s alive!” as the victim is pulled from underneath the train

Gov. Hochul, Biden, and the… pic.twitter.com/wYchyUMy1Y

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 31, 2024

A Big Apple straphanger is in critical condition after he was shoved onto Manhattan subway tracks and struck by an incoming 1 train — with the horrifying attack caught in disturbing footage. 

In what cops are calling a random attack, an unidentified 45-year-old man was at the 18th Street station shortly after 1:30 p.m. Tuesday when the hooded thug pushed him onto the tracks.

Cops responded to a 911 call and the victim was rushed to a local hospital, where he is in critical condition but stable, the NYPD said.

The video shows a man standing by the tracks, seemingly minding his own business. A group of what appear to be young men in hoodies enter through the turnstiles behind him and seem to walk past him, but then one turns and suddenly lunges at him, pushing him onto the track just into the path of an oncoming train. 

I can't imagine what would possess someone to commit such an atrocious act — nor do I want to. Perhaps the perpetrator will be able to shed some light on the motivation. A suspect is now reportedly in custody for the incident. 

The suspect, 23, fled the station was busted above ground near Columbus Circle shortly after the incident, cops said. He was in custody Tuesday evening but hadn’t been charged.

As noted above, incidents such as this seem to be on the rise, and apparently, the stats bear that out. 

NYPD stats show that in the 28 days leading up to Sunday, there were 48 felony assaults in the city transit system, making for a 40% bump over the same period in 2023.