The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) boss is in some hot water. With all of the recent crimes happening in the New York City subways people have begun to grow restless. However, MTA chair and boss is claiming that the violence is just "in people's heads."
Videos by Wide Open Country
MTA Boss Says Subway Violence Is "In People's Heads"
With recent stabbings, theft, and a woman being burned people are becoming increasingly more anxious to ride the subway. It feels as though the transportation in New York is getting deadlier by the minute. However, MTA chair and CEO, Janno Lieber, would disagree. He brushed off concerns about subway crimes arguing that the increase in violence is "in people's heads."
The NY Post shares Lieber's thoughts. During an interview with Bloomberg Surveillance he told listeners, " Some of these high-profile incidents, you know, terrible attacks have gotten in people's heads and made the whole system feel unsafe."
While he is not denying that these terrible acts occur, MTA boss, Jana Lieber, is arguing that the violence is not as bad as people are making it seem. That they are honing in on these particular, stand-out cases, and making the violence worse "in their heads."
Additionally, he tried to share statistics that would calm the public. He stated, "The overall stats are positive. Last year we were actually at 12 and a half percent less crime than 2019, the last year before COVID." Call me crazy, but if stabbing a woman in the throat and burning another is considered less crime then New York is a place I never want to live.
MTA Boss Assures Subways Are Not As Violent As People Think
While Mr. Lieber claims that crime was down last year, recent attacks still have people concerned. Perhaps one of the most shocking attacks of last year was on 57-year-old Debrina Kawan. She was "torched to death on a Brooklyn F train in plain view of horrified commuters."
After her tragic ending there were at least five more horrific attacks. Many of which were slashed with a knife. One man was cut in the arm during a dispute with another commuter. Additionally, a different man was stabbed in the back at the 14th street station. Also, a woman was stabbed in the throat on her way to her job. The list of violent acts appears to be growing despite what the statistics seem to say.
Apparently, the public does not agree with the chair's assessment of the violence being "in their heads." The NY Post shares that people have formed the Guardian Angels. "A volunteer vigilante watchdog group to resume patrols in the subways fro the first time since 2020." The group was founded by formal mayoral candidate Curtis Silwa. Hopefully, this group of brave and dedicated people can help cut back on the amount of crime happening in the New York City public transportation centers.
