Wild side story: New York commuter hits subway cellist on the head
NewsIain Forrest, 29, was sitting on a stool playing cello in the 34th Street-Herald Square station around 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday when a masked woman seized his metal water bottle and hit him really hard on the back of the head.
He reports: ‘She fled the station, shedding her outer clothes, and escaped into the nearby Macy’s, where NYPD were unable to locate her.’
Yesterday, I was attacked in the NYC subway. At 5:50 pm on February 14th, while performing at 34th St Herald Square station, a woman wearing a mustard jacket, red scarf, and gloves assaulted me by smashing the back of my head with my metal water bottle. pic.twitter.com/UpSl43yk3x
— Iain S. Forrest, PhD (@IainSForrest) February 14, 2024
Iain said it was the second nsuch attack in a year and he is giving up NY subway busking.
Iain is a PhD/MD student at Mount Sinai.
Norman, did you really have to post such a horrible video?
Yes, so readers can see how awful things are in the NYC subway system. Earlier this week, teens armed with illegal guns shot it out in the subway in the Bronx, killing an innocent bystander. The attack in this video took place at the station near Macy’s, one frequented by tourists.
The stated purpose of Slippedisc is to provide “swift and reliable inside information on classical music and related arts.” Nothing to do with reporting on crime in New York or anywhere else, for that matter. I didn’t know that the video showed the actual attack. I thought it was just him playing which is why I looked at it.
Yes, he did. This is called reporting. Sorry that he didn’t put a trigger warning for your delicate sensibilities. I am sure your pain is less than that of the cellist.
There is not much there, take it easy.
Mr Sam, many of us who live in NYC are TERRIFIED to take the subway. I agree the video is horrifying but sometimes so is what life in the big city is like these days.
I lived in Brooklyn for 20 years. Took the D train every day.
At least she did not take his money. Looks like a lot of people appreciated him. Hope he’s okay, and that he finds a safer place to busk.
And if they ever catch that cow, I hope they throw the book at her. Ignorant *&^%$
Did you really have to watch it?
It’s the physical assault that is “horrible” – not the recorded evidence of it or the act of posting the video.
Life can sometimes be ugly. Consider it a public service announcement from which we can learn.
Unless we know what’s going on, we don’t understand what’s going on. I am in this particular station at least once a week and I want to know what my level of caution has to be. I’m not afraid of public transportation in NYC, but I want to know what safeguards I need to take.
I send best wishes to this young man and hope he recovers from his injuries and regain his confidence.
Here is Iain in happier times.
https://www.youtube.com/c/eyeglassesstringmusic
He’s a busy lad, combines this with medicine and a published author in the Lancet on in silico research on CAD.
Bravo to him.
Maybe the pop vibe is not pop enough.
A cello-like object, but hardly a cello.
He’s studying to be a doctor at Mount Sinai and busking in the Herald Square subway station??
All things considered, probably the subway gigs will pay better than the degree.
i was going to a meeting in
london and a crazy woman threw a bucket of water over me. i called a policeman but she fled.
this was at embankment
station london.
this woman was very old and she thought it funny.
i did not think it funny.
they should give him a scholarship so he doesn’t need to play in subway for money.