Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Ronald Lacey, 23, has been charged with attempted murder, assault and other crimes for allegedly shoving a man onto the subway tracks at 21^st Street-Queensbridge station in Long Island City on May 24, 2021.

District Attorney Katz said, “Without provocation, this defendant allegedly shoved a man from the platform of the subway onto the tracks with a train entering the station. This could have ended with tragic results if not for the quick action of good Samaritans who flagged the train to stop and others who pulled the man up to safety. The defendant, who was on the run for months, is now in custody and facing very serious charges.”

Lacey, of Parsons Boulevard in Fresh Meadows, Queens, was arraigned Saturday before Queens Criminal Court Judge Danielle Hartman. The defendant is charged in a five-count complaint with attempted murder in the second degree, assault in the first degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree and harassment in the second degree. Judge Hartman ordered the defendant to return to Court on January 12, 2022. Lacey faces up to 25 years in prison, if convicted.

District Attorney Katz said, according to the charges, at approximately 7:40 a.m. at the 21st Street station, the victim was standing on the subway platform when the defendant approached him and allegedly pushed him onto the tracks as a train approached. Multiple people on the platform ran forward waving their hands to get the attention of the train conductor.

Continuing, according to the complaint, several other people near the fallen man reached down and grabbed him. Just as they pulled him back to the platform, the victim lost consciousness. He was taken to a nearby hospital with various injuries, including a fractured wrist and a cut that required 14 stitches to close.

The defendant was apprehended on Friday, January 7^th.

The investigation was conducted by Detective Robert Avanzato of the New York City Police Department’s Queens Transit Robbery Squad.

Assistant District Attorney Christina Mavrikis, of the District Attorney’s Felony Trials Bureau IV, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Karen Rankin, Bureau Chief, Robert Ferino and Timothy Regan, Deputy Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney of Trials Pishoy B. Yacoub.