Elderly Air Force Veteran Dies After Subway Shoving, Suspect Charged with Homicide

NEW YORK – An 83-year-old man has died weeks after he was pushed onto subway tracks at an Upper East Side station, and authorities have now ruled the case a homicide. The suspect, Bairon Hernandez, has been charged with homicide, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

What We Know

Police say the incident occurred around 11:39 a.m. On March 8 at the Lexington Avenue-63rd Street subway station. According to investigators, Hernandez pushed two people onto the tracks – Richard Williams, 83, and a 30-year-old man. No train was entering the station at the time.

Both victims were taken to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The 30-year-old man sustained injuries to his back, legs, and left arm and is recovering. NBC New York reported that Williams suffered a brain bleed and underwent surgery. Following the surgery, doctors determined he had no brain activity.

On March 25, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Williams’ death a homicide. ABC7NY reported that Williams was an Air Force veteran and had been married to his wife for 55 years. He is survived by three daughters and two granddaughters.

Timeline

• March 8: Two men are pushed onto subway tracks at Lexington Avenue and East 63rd Street.
• March 10: Police say the suspect fled and the victims were in stable condition.
• March 11: Bairon Hernandez, 34, is arrested and arraigned on assault-related charges.
• March 25: The victim’s death is ruled a homicide.

What They’re Saying

Prosecutors allege Hernandez pushed one victim onto the tracks, then pushed Williams into the same area moments later. A witness told investigators he recorded video of the suspect and later saw “this same man push an elderly man into the same subway tracks.”

What We Don’t Know

It is unclear what led up to the attack or whether the suspect knew the victims.

What’s Next

Bairon Hernandez, of Brooklyn, was previously arraigned on charges including assault and attempted assault. His case is ongoing in Manhattan criminal court. Authorities have stated that prosecutors are expected to review the charges in light of Williams’ death. Hernandez is originally from Honduras and has a prior conviction in New Jersey for entering the country illegally, and a conviction in Texas for re-entering illegally. He has been deported four times, most recently in 2020.