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Footage apparently shows a woman being thrown into oncoming traffic at a subway station

Footage apparently shows a woman being thrown into oncoming traffic at a subway station

Recently obtained footage appears to show a man throwing a woman into oncoming traffic. Officials described the incident as a random attack at a Pasadena subway station.

The woman reportedly suffered injuries to her head and face, including a broken nose, and was hospitalized. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said her injuries “could result in long-term disfigurement.”

KTLA, a local news station, obtained the footage, which aired on August 19. It allegedly shows the attack, which took place in the early hours of August 7.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced on August 12 that 33-year-old Juan Pablo Flores was arrested in connection with the incident.

Flores faces charges of attempted murder and assault, two felonies, and is being held on $2 million bail, the prosecutor’s statement said.

The authorities say they do not believe that the victim and the suspect knew each other.

Metro Rail light rail California
A Metro Rail light rail train passes near Union Station in Los Angeles on February 20, 2014. A woman was attacked at a subway station in Pasadena and thrown into oncoming traffic.


Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press

In a statement, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón said: “No one should have to endure such brutality, and everyone has the right to go about their daily lives without fear for their safety. We will not tolerate violence in our transportation system and will continue to hold those responsible fully accountable for their actions.”

Janice Hahn, Los Angeles County Councilwoman and Chair of the Metro Board of Directors, also condemned the incident and called for better safety measures in subway stations.

In an Aug. 7 statement, she wrote, “I am grateful that the victim is recovering and the suspect is in custody. Our board will require a comprehensive investigation of this incident, an accounting of where Metro’s contracted police and transit safety personnel were located when this woman was attacked, and a plan to increase safety during morning commuter hours. Our trains, buses and stations must be safe for our riders, and we must continue to implement safety reforms to get our system to that point.”

Los Angeles County Councilwoman Kathryn Barger also issued a statement, saying, “Our Metro Board has already taken some steps to improve public safety, including fare enforcement. However, it is clear to me that commuters on our Metro system still face serious safety issues that cannot be ignored.”

If convicted, Flores faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

In July, CBS News reported that violent crime on Los Angeles’ public transit system increased 33 percent last year. Most of these crimes occurred on trains, although there was also one violent crime for every 300,000 bus passengers.

Newsweek contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department through a form on the website for comment.

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