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Who is Kamel Hawkins? Man, 23, accused of shoving stranger onto Manhattan subway tracks charged with attempted murder

BySumanti Sen
Jan 01, 2025 09:43 AM IST

Kamel Hawkins has previously had many run-ins with the NYPD, including in 2019 when he was charged with assault after allegedly slamming a cop to the ground.

The man who allegedly shoved a Big Apple straphanger onto Manhattan subway tracks on Tuesday afternoon, December 31, has been charged with attempted murder, police confirmed. 23-year-old Kamel Hawkins has also been charged with second-degree assault.

Who is Kamel Hawkins? Man, 23, who shoved stranger onto Manhattan subway tracks charged with attempted murder (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File - representational image)(AP)
Who is Kamel Hawkins? Man, 23, who shoved stranger onto Manhattan subway tracks charged with attempted murder (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File - representational image)(AP)

Hawkins has been accused of pushing a stranger onto the tracks at the 18th Street station shortly after 1:30 pm, cops said. The hooded man roamed the edge of the platform while the victim, a 45-year-old man, seemed to look at his phone, with his train pulling into the station. Hawkins pushed the man onto the tracks without any warning. The victim was seen disappearing under the train, New York Post reported.

An incoming 1 train struck the victim, but he survived. He suffered a head injury, police said. Hawkins was subsequently busted above ground near Columbus Circle.

Who is Kamel Hawkins?

Hawkins has previously had many run-ins with the NYPD. Back in June 2019, he was charged with assault after he allegedly slammed an officer to the ground on Flushing Avenue. The assault took place after the cop saw Hawkins acting disorderly. The victim sustained a back injury.

“Anyone who attacks a cop in full uniform is capable of doing far worse to defenseless civilians,” Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry told New York Post. “Every time our justice system drops the ball on an assault on a police officer, it puts every New Yorker in danger.”

For an incident that took place on October 12, Hawkins has an open case in Brooklyn on assault, harassment and weapons possession charges. In 2020, he was released without bail in a different case even though prosecutors demanded he be held. However, it is unclear what the charges in that case were.

Mayor Eric Adams said during an end-of-year news conference that random attacks “overshadowed” New York City’s supposed successes in controlling subway crime during 2024. The New York City Mayor also said that out-of-control subway crime must be curtailed.

“We are doing the job on bringing down the numbers, but as I say over and over and I said in 2022, New Yorkers must feel safe,” he told reporters from City Hall. “People are seeing and feeling what they’re reading. So, our success is overshadowed.”

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