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valerie-castro

Underground Unrest: Rash Of Unprovoked Subway Attacks Has New York Straphangers Spooked

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Straphangers across New York were on edge Monday after a recent string of unprovoked attacks in the city’s subway system. In the most recent case, sources tell CBS2 the alleged assailant now behind bars has been arrested 64 times. He was taken to NYC Health+Hospitals/Bellevue for a mental health evaluation while one of his victims hopes the city does more to stop a similar attack from happening again. Pictures from the scene at Columbus Circle appearing to show an agitated homeless man being restrained by several passersby shortly after the Monday morning attack are just the latest example of underground unrest in the Big Apple. “I was in shock,” one of the victims told CBS2. “I jumped back off the train immediately to try to snap a picture and call 911.” The woman, who doesn’t wish to be identified, says she took the pictures of the man after he allegedly punched her and two other women on the B train around 10 a.m. as it approached the Midtown station. “As soon as he came in he punched the first woman and tried to hurry and get out of his way, he went by me slightly and turned around and punched me in the head and then he ran,” the woman said. “As he was running out the door he went and punched this Asian woman in her face.” The victim says the attack left the last woman with a swollen and bloodied face. The seemingly random crime follows video the NYPD released this weekend of a man waving a knife at a rider aboard the E train at West 4th Street . Just over a week ago, police say a panhandler fractured a commuter’s skull after beating him with a metal object. In Monday’s melee, the victim says bystanders acted quickly to hold her alleged attacker until police arrived. Despite the string of incidents, the NYPD says subway violence is down roughly five percent compared to last year. Transit Chief Edward Delatorre says more uniformed and plainclothes officers are making a dent along with proactive riders. “People aren’t getting away with crimes in the subway system like they did decades ago,” Delatorre told CBS2’s Valerie Castro. “Just about every commuter is armed with a cell phone, taking pictures of people who do commit these crimes.” Some say it’s not enough, and argue the city needs to do more to help people with mental illness. The victim in Monday’s attack says it’s “running rampant.” “We’re doing what we can to connect them to the services they need,” Delatorre said. The man arrested Monday was last arrested two years ago for public urination at a subway station in Brooklyn, according to police.

July 17, 2018 0 comment

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3 People, Including 2 Bystanders, Shot In Broad Daylight In Brooklyn

written by PhoebeFrencham

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Three people were shot in broad daylight Friday in Downtown Brooklyn. It happened around 1:45 p.m. at the Fulton Mall, an outdoor shopping area near Gallatin Place and Fulton Street. Police said it appears a group of about five people got into an argument with a 28-year-old man. Someone in the group opened fire, shooting the man in the left arm. A 27-year-old woman who was leaving a job interview nearby was grazed by a bullet in her left hand and right arm. A 31-year-old man walking with a coworker was shot in the left thigh. “I just heard ‘pow, pow, pow’ gunfire in the crowd right down there and ran down there,” one witness told CBS2’s Valerie Castro. “Next thing you know, dude pulls out and started shooting, and I left my behind across the street, because that could have been me,” said another man. “Innocent people getting shot and it just don’t make no sense.” All three victims are expected to recover. Police are searching for the group and gunman. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-700-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via the Crime Stoppers website , or by texting a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.

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3 People, Including 2 Bystanders, Shot In Broad Daylight In Brooklyn

July 14, 2018 0 comment

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Summer Of Kindness: N.J. Mother, Daughter Spend Break Doing Good Deeds

written by MiriamLongstree

WESTFIELD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – A New Jersey woman and her daughter believe summer break is the time to act. They’re calling it a Summer of Kindness. Lyra Liptack is just days away from turning four years old. “My birthday is on July 31 st ,” she told CBS2’s Valerie Castro. “I know that it’s hard to tell a kid to be kind, but to model it is probably the best lesson you can teach them,” said her mother, Sara Liptak. The high school science teacher said with the 70 days of summer vacation, they’re hoping to perform an act of kindness each day. Some are small, like gathering trash at the beach, bringing treats to the dentist or donating pet food to the Jersey Shore Animal Center. Others have become much bigger projects. They collected toiletries and stuffed them into more than 80 purses that were donated to a women’s shelter. Their latest endeavor involves collecting baby clothes for a local nonprofit called Furniture Assist. “I asked them what’s the one item they need, and they said infant clothing up to 12 months,” Sara Liptack said. “I think it’s wonderful to see a local mom in town kind of rounding everybody up to help give back to the community,” said Annie Okas, who donated some clothes. The Liptack family also has a Little Free Library in front of their home, where anyone can borrow a book or leave one to share with others. Its presence on social media has been a way to spread the word about their efforts. Some of their ideas have come from the book “When Action Follows the Heart.” “Guess what? We have a big giant book with all the acts of kindness,” Lyra Liptack said. “There’s so many.” The Liptacks hope their spirit of spreading joy inspires others, too.

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Summer Of Kindness: N.J. Mother, Daughter Spend Break Doing Good Deeds

July 13, 2018 0 comment

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Staten Island Residents On Alert After Vandals Damage Dozens Of Cars

written by RickZfqshldzli

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A crime spree is targeting cars on Staten Island, and it seems as if “X” marks the spot in almost every case. Dozens of victims’ cars have been damaged since May in the Prince’s Bay, Pleasant Plains, Hugenot, Bloomingdale, and Woodrow neighborhoods. “It looks like somebody did a keyed cross,” Staten Island resident Darlene Silverstein said. “You can see it’s really carved in there so they really had to make an effort to dig in.” Sal Patanio’s says his car was targeted, along with 70 others across the borough that police know about. “I don’t know if it’s a gang type thing,” he said. “I don’t really know, but they do look familiar.” Police say they haven’t been able to catch a break in the case because the suspect, or suspects, haven’t been caught on surveillance. Patanio says it seems a little odd. “No one has been able to look at the camera and then identify somebody, somebodies that are doing these types of things,” he said. Police encourage anyone who has been a victim to come forward. There’s also a reward of $2,500 for information leading to an arrest.

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Staten Island Residents On Alert After Vandals Damage Dozens Of Cars

July 12, 2018 0 comment

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Woman, 67, Shot In Face While Waiting At Staten Island Bus Stop

written by ElijahDynon

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — An investigation was underway Tuesday after police say a 67-year-old woman was shot in the face while waiting at a bus stop on Staten Island. Chopper 2 was live over the scene after police say shots rang out around Jersey Street in the St. George section around 12:30 p.m. Investigators canvassed the area after police discovered the victim lying unconscious with a gunshot wound to her face. The victim’s niece says her aunt, Frances Williams, was waiting at the stop to go to her job as a home care aid when she was shot. “Somebody called me so I came up the street to find out what was going on with my aunt and they said she’s shot in the neck and she’s in critical condition,” Priscilla Lewis said. It wasn’t immediately clear why Williams was shot, or what circumstances led up to the shooting.

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Woman, 67, Shot In Face While Waiting At Staten Island Bus Stop

July 10, 2018 0 comment

International news Rap

Thailand Cave Rescue: Time, Oxygen Running Out

written by BrooksKennion

MAE SAI, THAILAND (AP) — Thai rescuers said they will not immediately attempt an underwater evacuation of 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach who have been trapped in a cave for almost two weeks because they have not learned adequate diving skills in the short time since they were found. However, the official in immediate charge of the operation, Gov. Narongsak Osatanakorn, indicated at a news conference Friday that if heavy rains started and appeared to be causing flooded areas in the cave to rise again, divers would try to take the boys out right away. More From CBS News Thai officials had been suggesting in public statements that a quick underwater evacuation of the boys and their coach was needed because of the possibility that access to the cave could soon close again due to seasonal monsoon rains expected this weekend. Earlier efforts to pump out water from the cave have been set back every time there has been a heavy rain. Cave rescue specialists have cautioned against that approach except as a last resort, because of the dangers posed by inexperienced people using diving gear. The path out is considered especially complicated because of twists and turns in narrow flooded passages. The suggestion that the trapped team might have to wait months inside until a safe way out is available — as was the case in 2010 with Chilean miners trapped underground — has met with little enthusiasm. Authorities continue to pursue a third option, which is finding a shaft or drilling into the mountain in which the cave is located to find a sort of back door entrance. The boys, 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach went exploring in the cave after a soccer game June 23. Monsoon flooding cut off their escape and prevented rescuers from finding them for almost 10 days. The only way to reach them was by navigating dark and tight passageways filled with muddy water and strong currents. Asked at his midnight news conference about bringing the boys out underwater, the governor replied, “Not today because they cannot dive at this time.” Narongsak said the boys were still healthy and have practiced wearing diving masks and breathing in preparation for the diving possibility. The rescue effort suffered a disheartening setback Friday with the death of a former Thai navy SEAL diving in the flooded passageways to deliver supplies, as authorities raced against worsening weather and lessening oxygen. Professional cave divers from Europe are making the dangerous dives with a contingent of Thai navy SEALs. Two divers from the U.K. were the first to make it, on Monday, to the area where the boys and their coach took shelter. The divers are making frequent swims in and out. The death of former Thai navy SEAL Saman Gunan underscored the risks of making the underwater journey. The diver, the first fatality of the rescue effort, was working in a volunteer capacity and died on a mission to place oxygen canisters along the route to where the boys and others are sheltered, Thai SEAL commander Rear Adm. Arpakorn Yookongkaew said. The strategically placed canisters allow divers to stay underwater longer during the five-hour trip to reach the stranded team. While underwater, Saman passed out and efforts to resuscitate him failed, Arpakorn said. Some officials said his collapse was due to his oxygen supply running out, but the cause of his collapse was not confirmed. “Despite this, we will continue until we accomplish our mission,” Arpakorn vowed. Narongsak acknowledged that the air supply inside the cave is “a big problem.” Workers have been trying to run an oxygen line into the cave’s chambers. “We are carrying oxygen canisters to where the boys are,” Narongsak said. The dramatic rescue efforts and the boys’ plight have garnered international attention, perhaps most notably at soccer’s most widely watched event, the World Cup. A diver who spent time with the boys said earlier the youngsters wanted to know the results of the matches. Players from teams including England and Sweden have recorded good luck video messages for the trapped boys, and FIFA has invited the 13 to the World Cup final should they be rescued in time and are healthy enough to travel. Elon Musk, the entrepreneur behind the Tesla automobile and the SpaceX rocket company, has said he would send engineers to help. One of his enterprises is Boring Co., which digs tunnels for advanced transport systems and has advanced ground-penetrating radar. Musk also brainstormed on Twitter about possible technology for a safe evacuation, suggesting that an air tunnel constructed with soft tubing like a Bouncy Castle could provide flexible passage out. (© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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Thailand Cave Rescue: Time, Oxygen Running Out

July 7, 2018 0 comment