Geovannie Nieves, 35, of Crown Heights, was apprehended and charged with assault on Sunday
NEW YORK — A suspect has been arrested in a violent attack on a New York City subway. Geovannie Nieves, 35, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, was apprehended and charged with first-degree assault on Sunday, CBS New York reports.
The incident was caught on video Saturday evening at about 9:15 p.m. on a southbound 2 train. Police said Nieves was panhandling when he got into verbal dispute with a 59-year-old man that quickly escalated. Police say the suspect hit the man in the face with a pipe.
Mery Meza, the victim’s stepdaughter, said she was so upset she couldn’t bring herself to watch video of the incident.
« Nobody deserves that to happen to them and it was messed up, » Meza told CBS New York.
The suspect got off the train at Chambers Street and ran, police said. The victim was left with a fractured skull and broken eye socket. He is recovering at the hospital in serious but stable condition.
Meza believes the argument started over money.
« From what I know, the guy was asking him for money, like the guy was on the train begging for money and my stepfather doesn’t speak Spanish and the guy was speaking Spanish, » she said. « So I’m guessing the guy got irritated because he didn’t want to give him money and that just broke out. »
For now, Meza said her only focus is helping her stepfather recover.
« I don’t know the situation, in what happened, but my stepfather’s hurt and I just want him to get well, » she said. « If the guy’s sick, I want him to get the help he needs. »
