Transit Hub Becomes Venue for Multiple Violent Crime
Above: The January 29 attack at the Dunkin Donuts within the Fulton Center begins, as the victim is punched from behind. Below: As the victim attempts to flee, more members of the gang converge on him.
The Fulton Center subway and retail complex (at the corner of Broadway and Fulton Street) has been the scene of several violent assaults in recent days. On Friday, January 29, shortly after 11:00 pm, a gang of six young people (four male and two female) quietly entered the Dunkin Donuts location within the facility, and crept up behind a man who was placing an order at the counter.
Taking advantage of the man (whose name has not been released) being distracted, multiple members of the gang attacked, simultaneously punching, kicking, and tackling him, also dosing him with pepper spray. The suspects then fled with his backpack and wallet. The victim suffered injuries.
Four of the six suspects are pictures in this surveillance video, as they leave the Fulton Center a few minutes later.
In a separate incident on Tuesday (February 2), 26-year-old Rafael Wilson was standing on a train platform within the Fulton Center—facing the tracks and wearing headphones—when, police allege, Calvin Wilson (no relation to the victim) approached him from behind. Without any warning or provocation, police say, Calvin Wilson shoved Rafael Wilson onto the tracks. The victim suffered injuries, but was able to climb back onto the platform before the next train pulled into the station. The suspect immediately fled the station, but was apprehended nearby a short time later. Police say he has a history of mental illness and multiple prior arrests—most recently for threatening a subway employee with a pipe.
The Fulton Center may present a tempting opportunity for people intending to break the law. Open 24 hours each day, the hub is a nexus for a dozen separate subway lines, each providing a potential escape route. Prospective victims are likely to be distracted, and in some cases handling cash or credit cards, as they patronize the many shops and restaurants within. Moreover, there are more than 20 separate entrances and exits to the facility, offering numerous opportunities for undetected ingress and quick egress.
Matthew Fenton
Perambulation Now Permitted for All
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In her recently published first book Hooded, Dr. Malika Grayson offers an account of surviving and thriving as a doctoral candidate in STEM.
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NYC Restaurant Week launched this week, as hundreds of hot spots citywide have been lining up special delivery deals through February 28.
Promotions include lunch or dinner with a side for $20.21, two-course brunches and lunches ($26) and three-course dinners ($42), mostly Monday through Friday. (Some participating restaurants are honoring those prices on weekends.)
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The Restaurant Week website lists several more tempting options to treat yourself — even if it means playing it a little fast and loose with your commitments to fitness. (We won’t tell.)
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