Statement of President John V. Chiarello on the Slashing of a Conductor in the Bronx

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 -- Yesterday at about mid-day a brutal slashing took place on the 6 Line at Whitlock Avenue in the Bronx. A Conductor with only 15 months on the job was assaulted by a man who came up to her at her station while she was making announcements.

He reportedly told her that “no one will tell him what to do,” and then slashed her on the left side of her nose below her left eye with a sharp object, possibly a razor. She immediately called for police and medical assistance, and the train was placed out of service.

She was transported by EMS to St. Barnabas Hospital, where she received stitches to close the wound and was released.

I spoke to her last night and expressed to her the support of our 44,000 members and my personal outrage at the attack.

The MTA Police has released high-quality images of the alleged perpetrator, and I am asking everyone in our membership to be on the lookout for this man.

The New York City transit system is a dangerous environment for TWU Local 100 members, who are subject to unprovoked attack simply for doing our jobs. The public takes out their anger or frustration with the system on us. That is why we have worked so hard for higher levels of security in the system and for procedures to allow our members who are subject to assault to take the time they need to recover.

 Please keep our Conductor, who is 36 years old, in your prayers as she recovers. Only by the grace of God was a much larger tragedy avoided.