A maniac with 20 prior arrests – together with hate crime assaults on two ladies – was busted for randomly shoving a 70-year-old Los Angeles grandma in opposition to the wall of a Midtown subway station this week, in keeping with police sources and the sufferer.
Sherlock Arana, 37, of the Bronx, allegedly attacked Janet Parvizyar, 70, contained in the Lexington Ave/53rd Avenue station round 10:30 a.m. Monday because the unsuspecting L.A. native loved the second-to-last day of her journey to the Large Apple, the place she was visiting a pal.
“I don’t perceive, why did they allow them to go like this?” Parvizyar instructed The Put up of the profession prison in an unique telephone interview. “I imply, they should do one thing about this. He’s going to kill anyone.”
Arana is not any stranger to crime on the rails – practically a decade in the past, he pleaded responsible to assaulting two ladies inside separate Queens subway stations as a result of he thought they had been of Indian descent, prosecutors mentioned. Not less than one was truly Bangladeshi.
“I hate Indian folks,” he allegedly seethed at one of many ladies, who he approached close to the doorway to the Jamaica-179th Avenue station on January 5, 2017, earlier than punching her at the back of the top, in keeping with a prison criticism. “Get the f–okay out of right here.”
He was sentenced to 9 months behind bars on a third-degree hate crime assault cost, prosecutors mentioned. It was not instantly clear how a lot time he truly served.
The newest of Arana’s practically two dozen prior busts was in 2023 for a theft, regulation enforcement sources mentioned.
On this week’s assault, Parvizyar was strolling within the underground pathway resulting in the No. 6 practice station when Arana allegedly shoved her right into a wall, inflicting her to hit her head and fall to the bottom, cops mentioned.
“I used to be going to get the practice and all of the sudden somebody got here to me and instructed me, ‘What are you doing right here?’” Parvizyar mentioned. “And he pushed me to the window, and after that the ground, with none cause, something. After which he began operating.”
The mindless assault left Parvizyar “shocked,” she mentioned.
“I couldn’t suppose. I received confused,” she mentioned. “I don’t know, I used to be very confused. I didn’t count on one thing like that.”
“It occurred all of the sudden. I didn’t see his face,” the startled sufferer added. “However my pal noticed his face. She began screaming, asking for assist.”
Different good Samaritans within the station tried to step in, however it was too late – Arana fled the scene.
In the meantime, the mother of three and grandmother additionally of three was taken to NYU Langone Medical Heart for accidents to her head and neck.
Parvizyar is Iranian, however as soon as she realized of Arana’s prison historical past, speculated that he could have mistaken her for an Indian lady.
Eagle-eyed cops noticed Arana round 6:45 a.m. Wednesday contained in the Lexington Avenue-One hundred and twenty fifth Avenue subway station – recognizing him from a Wished flyer – as they carried out a station inspection, sources mentioned.
The arresting cops additionally discovered a knife in Arana’s possession, in keeping with the sources.
He was charged with assault and harassment, each within the second diploma, cops mentioned.
“I’m so glad as a result of I don’t need that to occur to anyone else,” Parvizyar mentioned of the arrest. “I don’t need anyone else to undergo that.”
Parvizyar, who’s now again residence in Los Angeles, mentioned she had visited the Large Apple “many instances” earlier than – however now could be reluctant to return and journey the rails.
“I’m extra scared, as a result of [he did it] for no cause, something!” Parvizyar mentioned. “Nothing occurred. I don’t know, all of the sudden anyone involves you, says, ‘What are you doing right here?’ and pushed me. It’s one thing uncommon. You don’t see it in Los Angeles. I don’t know!”
“It’s scary, actually scary, once you don’t count on one thing like this to occur to you.”
