The man responsible for the senseless act of pushing a stranger to his death in front of a train in East Harlem has a troubled history, according to law enforcement sources. He has a record of mental illness and a long list of criminal offenses.
Carlton McPherson, a 24-year-old from the Bronx, had an arrest warrant for an ongoing assault case in Brooklyn when he committed the shocking act on Monday at the East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue station. According to the authorities, McPherson forcibly pushed a 54-year-old man onto the train tracks.
A man, whose name is being withheld until his family is notified, was tragically struck and killed by a northbound 4 train as it pulled into the station at around 7 p.m. The train was unable to stop in time to avoid the accident.
On Monday, McPherson was arrested and charged with murder.
According to sources, McPherson had a recent arrest in January where he was accused of spitting on a woman on an L train. However, the outcome of that case is unclear as it was sealed, indicating that the charges may have been dropped.
According to The Post, McPherson’s neighbors mentioned that he began to lose control after his grandfather passed away from COVID. As a result, his elderly grandmother was left to try and bring him back on track.
According to neighbor Marco Paredes, the kid has been facing several difficulties recently, particularly with his grandmother. Paredes mentioned that a few weeks ago, the kid got so upset with his grandmother that he ripped out all the cable wires, including the Verizon wires, from the wall.
According to Paredes, he caused a power outage in the building by tearing out the wires on the 17th floor, all the way down to the 15th floor.
According to tenants, McPherson would often find himself locked out of his grandmother’s apartment. This would result in him having to sleep on the roof or in the hallway. During the winter months, he would resort to finding shelter in a hallway closet.
According to another neighbor, there has been a noticeable change in his behavior for quite some time now. It’s unclear what caused this shift, but approximately six years ago, he went from being a calm little boy to exhibiting some unusual behavior. One can often find him sitting in the hallway, engaging in conversations with himself.
“I steer clear of him,” she added with a tinge of apprehension in her voice. “It’s not that I’m surprised, because I’m not. I deliberately avoid taking the train because I’m scared of encountering him.”
In April of last year, McPherson reportedly dashed past security at Yankee Stadium, speaking incoherently. He managed to enter an off-limits area not accessible to the general public, stating his desire to watch the game, despite there being no game taking place at that time, according to sources.
According to sources, in June 2022, he became furious when his grandmother instructed him to take care of his clothing. As a result, he angrily threw his garments down the incinerator.
When the police arrived at the scene, they found McPherson sitting on the roof landing in the stairwell. According to his grandmother, McPherson, who suffers from bipolar disorder and was not taking his medication, refused to engage in conversation with the police officers.
In 2016, there was a “domestic incident report” involving McPherson. The report stated that McPherson failed to bring a male child to visit his mother, who had a legal visitation order. This information comes from reliable sources.
He has also been arrested for shoplifting and burglary. On September 30, he was allegedly caught going through items in an office at the Aqueduct Racetrack.
An officer confronted him and sprayed him with pepper spray. However, this did not deter McPherson from proceeding to the roof, where he then jumped down to the lower roof. Unfortunately, during the jump, he injured his right leg, potentially breaking it, as reported by sources.
In September, he reportedly raised his sweater and revealed a fake gun while riding in an elevator at a Macy’s store in Brooklyn, causing alarm to another person in the elevator, according to sources.
According to sources, he reportedly took $100 from the cash register of a business in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn on September 2nd.
According to sources, he was caught in late June for supposedly stealing items worth almost $1,300 from the Kings Plaza Shopping Center.
The arraignment in connection to the subway shove is still pending in Manhattan Criminal Court as of Tuesday.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, Mayor Eric Adams acknowledged that there were six police officers present at the station during the assault. However, he emphasized that random and unpredictable attacks present a significant challenge for law enforcement.
According to Adams, there were six police officers present at the platform and token booth. However, he expressed his concern that in situations involving severe mental health crises or criminal behavior, there are individuals who feel empowered enough to continue their actions despite the presence of law enforcement. Adams emphasized that the uniform no longer holds the same significance it once did.
“The police no longer invoke fear in the eyes of the criminals,” the mayor expressed. “They feel empowered to carry out their actions without any restraint.”
