EAST HARLEM, NY – A man with an extensive criminal record was apprehended for allegedly pushing a 54-year-old subway rider to his death in East Harlem. The arrest warrant for 24-year-old Carlton McPherson, a Bronx native, for an unresolved Brooklyn assault case was active at the time of the fatal shoving incident.
On Monday, McPherson allegedly pushed the older man onto the tracks at the East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue station just as a northbound 4 train was pulling in. The man, who remains unnamed pending family notification, was hit by the train and died from his injuries. McPherson was arrested and charged with murder the same day.
Prior to this incident, McPherson’s last arrest was in January, following allegations of spitting at a female passenger on the L train. This case, like a handful of others, is sealed, implying the potential dropping of charges.
He had also been detained in November for turnstile jumping at a Brooklyn subway station. McPherson’s most recent notorious case, however, was from last Halloween when he allegedly attacked a man with a cane after his erratic behavior failed to be calmed.
Previous encounters with law enforcement also include at least two responses to “emotionally disturbed person” situations. Reportedly, McPherson skipped past Yankee Stadium security last April and ran into a restricted area, eager to see a game that wasn’t taking place.
In addition to these run-ins, McPherson was implicated in a 2016 “domestic incident report” for neglecting to bring a child to a legally arranged visitation with the mother. Charges of shoplifting and burglary, as well as several unsettling incidents, fill out his lengthy rap sheet.
The court proceedings in relation to the subway incident were ongoing as of Tuesday.