New York — An elderly man who was pushed onto the subway tracks in Manhattan last weekend died from his injuries and his alleged attacker now faces charges, authorities in New York City said Thursday.
Richard Williams, 83, of Manhattan, died days after Sunday’s incident, police said. They said Richard was standing on the Lexington Avenue-63 Street subway platform when a man he did not know pushed him from behind onto the tracks.
The attacker also pushed a 30-year-old man onto the tracks before fleeing on foot. The two victims were taken to the hospital with injuries.
Police arrested Byron Hernandez on March 10 after asking for the public’s help in identifying the attacker, who was captured on video after the incident.
The 34-year-old Brooklyn resident was initially charged with attempted murder, assault and other charges, but in light of Williams’ death, those charges were upgraded to murder, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said.
Hernandez’s public defenders declined to comment.
“We have not yet seen the indictment, nor have we completed our investigation or reviewed the material that was discovered in large quantities,” said Lupe Todd Medina, spokesman for the New York County Defense Services.
Hernandez is a Honduran citizen who has been deported four times since he first entered the country illegally in 2008, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
He entered the country illegally for the fifth time at an unknown date and location and has a lengthy criminal history, including 15 prior charges of simple assault, domestic violence, obstructing police, weapon possession, drug possession and aggravated assault, the agency said.
Lauren Pace, deputy assistant secretary of Homeland Security, said Hernandez “should not have been able to walk our streets and harm innocent Americans.”