Subway rider dragged to death after falling into gap at Brooklyn station

By Ali Bauman and Thalia Perez

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    BROOKLYN, New York (WCBS) — A subway rider in Brooklyn was dragged to his death in a freak accident on the tracks. The man died after he got caught in the gap between the train and platform and was hit by an oncoming train.

While transit officials are still piecing together exactly what happened at the station in Midwood, they said the 37-year-old victim was stuck and could not break free in time, CBS2’s Thalia Perez reported Thursday.

Police said Marcus Bryant was exiting a northbound Q train at the Avenue M station at around 11:50 p.m. Wednesday and somehow slipped into the gap.

“We do not think this is a door incident. We believe he was caught between the platform and the train,” said New York City Transit President Richard Davey. “We’re trying to determine exactly where this occurred, but it clearly occurred on the platform.”

After getting stuck, Bryant was dragged onto the tracks and hit by an oncoming train, officials said.

“So, unclear, you know, what the exact cause of death was, first or second train,” Davey said.

The NYPD says 89 people have been struck by a train in New York City so far this year, up from 53 people by this time last year.

“There is always issues. Sometimes the platform is way farther than that,” commuter Rami Sultana told CBS2’s Ali Bauman.

“Who would ever think that going to work or coming home from work, something like this would happen?” commuter Yossi Acoca said.

Both train crews involved have been taken off duty while the MTA investigates whether the proper protocols were followed.

“A conductor should have his or her head out the window when the doors close and be looking to the left and to the right for approximately 75 feet. That’s our normal protocol,” Davey said.

Riders hope safety measures will be taken to ensure it doesn’t happen to someone else.

“It makes me want to look out more for my fellow passengers, actually. You know, make sure that they’re all in the train, on the train,” one woman said.

“Sometimes I think the conductor does not wait enough for everybody to get in, and I think it should be considered, but MTA that you wait. You know, actually look, make sure everybody’s inside safely,” Ingrid Adams said.

The horrifying details just add to the uneasiness commuters say they already feel taking the subway.

“I talk to my friends and they’re always like, I’m scared to take the train, and I’m like, it is scary, but it’s the most taken way of transportation, so you can’t really avoid it,” commuter Sreydy Ziobro said.

“We have a responsibility to ourselves to make sure we should be as safe as we possibly could … Look out for fellow New Yorkers, and tourists, of course,” Acoca said.

Police say CCTV cameras were working at the station and authorities are now reviewing those tapes.

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