Random attacks plunge New Yorkers into crisis and highlight deficiencies in mental health care

Carlton McPherson is accused of pushing a man into the path of an oncoming train, causing his death.

Xavier Israel allegedly hit “Boardwalk Empire” star Michael Stuhlberg in the head with a rock.

Although the outcomes of these two assaults were very different, the stories were familiar. Each of the alleged perpetrators suffered from mental illness and had experienced an inadequate mental health care system that had failed many. They had no connection to the alleged victims.

Kaylee Fernandez, 19, from Queens, said, “I think New Yorkers are already aware of what’s going on around them, but I feel like we’re in a really serious situation right now. We need to be more aware now.” It must be done,” he said.

This attack, along with other episodes, plunged the city into crisis. Mayor Adams has pointed to a decline in crime rates since taking office in 2022. Incidents of indiscriminate assault involving women being beaten on the street show Effects of unpredictability. TThe randomness of the attack and the anger behind it shocked the city.

“If you’re just walking down the street minding your own business or looking at your phone, you don’t have to be afraid of getting punched in the face or having rocks thrown at you.” , that’s not the case,” said Christopher Herman, an associate professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “The truth is, a lot of people are afraid, and rightly so.”

While mental illness is a key factor often cited in conversations about random attacks, the picture is much more complex and diverse. Both McPherson and Israel encountered a system often criticized for putting New Yorkers at risk and ignoring those in desperate need of care.

McPherson, who was homeless, had been arrested several times before the subway robbery and was labeled by police as “emotionally disturbed.” Late last month, he entered Manhattan Criminal Court for his arraignment on murder charges, apparently incoherent, making high-pitched squealing noises and spitting on the floor. He is being held without bail.

Before his appearance, he bounced between various shelters, even shelters designed for people with mental illness, where he never got the help he needed despite his family’s attempts to help him, according to He said he was unable to do so. Report from the Times.

Mayor Adams cited McPherson’s attack as an example of the often coexisting issues of mental illness and recidivism.

For his part, before the recent rock attack in Central Park, israel was arrested In January 2022, he was charged with assaulting a man who literally pulled the coat off his back after seeing Israel sleeping on a sidewalk near Bryant Park. He was also charged with two counts of assault, but a court mental health examination found him to be mentally unfit to stand trial on the charges and he was sent to the Department of Mental Health for treatment. was sent to.

He is currently charged with assault and is being held on $50,000 bail.

“I think most people don’t have a lot of faith in our mental health system. And the safety net doesn’t really exist,” Herman said.

These attacks occur during random street beatings, and young women are sharing their experiences and injuries on TikTok. Police conducted 12 investigations Indiscriminate beating incident Six people have been arrested in the past two weeks, the NYPD’s chief of detectives announced Wednesday.

“The possibility of you becoming a victim is very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very. very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very. , very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, it happens,” Herman said. “And we see it happening, we hear about it happening, but it’s random. So it’s not like we don’t need to be aware of it or be concerned about it.”

Statistics, Headlines, and Viral TikTok’s influence is evident on the city’s streets and subway platforms. New Yorkers are now carefully looking over the edge of the train platform, shoving their phones in their pockets, and turning down the volume on their earphones.

Fernandez, of Queens, has been feeling nervous ever since the punch video went viral. She walks to her workplace with a Taser in her pocket and easily accessible. She works as a barista near Washington Square Park, a common area for punching. Its randomness makes it feel like she could be next at any time.

“What should I do if I’m attacked by a 200-pound man?” she wondered.

“We definitely need to be careful,” said Jesus Hernandez, 20, from the Lower East Side. “Because New York, the truth is, New York is already pretty dangerous. Every day is something new.”

“It’s crazy. I mean, who doesn’t feel negative about all of this?” said Hernandez, who works as a doorman.

Barry, an East Village retiree who declined to give his last name, said he struggles to make sense of the different narratives being spread by politicians and the news media.

“The important thing is, if people feel like there’s more crime, then there’s more crime, because there are fewer people around. Having more people around makes the city safer,” said Barry, 72. said.