NYC subway beating victim reveals injuries, makes plea to Adams
The mother-of-five who was ruthlessly beaten by a homeless maniac in a Queens subway station revealed her horrific injuries on Tuesday – while making a desperate appeal to Mayor Eric Adams.
« Our city needs major help, » said Elizabeth Gomes after removing her sunglasses to show her injuries from the horrific attack on film, which included her swollen eyes shut and a nasty gash on her right.
« We go through a lot here, » the 33-year-old told the Post.
“I remember hearing that they would have cops posted on the platforms, on the trains, cops in the metro. Mayor Adams said especially on the subway,” she said.
“The mayor said we would have a lot more cops on the subway and the cops would specifically patrol the subway because that’s where we have the worst crime. Especially at places like the Howard Beach station.
« There was no one there. Why no protection there? » she said, referring to her early morning attack on September 20 at the Howard Beach subway station.
“Obviously the government or nobody is doing anything for us,” the married mother said in a separate interview with her husband minutes earlier outside their home.
« When we’re there, we’re alone, we’re fighting these battles on our own, and what they’re doing, they’re trying to help other countries that have nothing to do with what we’re going through back home. places us. »
Gomes, when questioned later by The Post to whom she referred to as « they », replied: « The mayor, the governor.
« Like Eric Adams, our mayor, going to Puerto Rico, » she said, referring to Hizzoner’s weekend in what he called the city’s « sixth ward » to see what he was up to. needed after a devastating hurricane.
That’s when she added that the Big Apple needed « major help » because of everything she was « going through. »
Gomes, a JFK airport security guard, was on her way to work when she was randomly attacked by a fuming drifter, identified by cops as a former grandmother killer, Waheed Foster, who was still on parole for an assault in 2010.
She and her husband said she wandered the station for 20 minutes looking for help after being attacked. They said the MTA employee who was supposed to be in the subway car at the time was on a bathroom break.
An MTA official told The Post that the MTA and the Port Authority were manning the booth.
« The booth attendant on half of the New York City Transit booth at Howard Beach was on what we call a ‘comfort break’ from 5:10 a.m. to 5:19 a.m., » the manager said.
The AP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
« I was very surprised, » Gomes said of the lack of security, including cops. “They are normally there. There is always some sort of protection at the Howard Beach resort.
“I’m used to seeing people from the Port Authority there. I used to see, yeah, [Port Authority cops] is there.
Her husband, Clement Tucker, added: ‘There was no security in the cabin.
« There were no cops. The person who should have been in the cabin was in the bathroom. They came out 20 minutes after she was attacked.
« She was walking around and there was no one to help her, » he said.
Gomes may lose vision in his eyes as a result of the attack.
An injury to Gomes’ arm from the beatings.
Gomes’ right eye is still swollen a week later.
« Look at my wife’s eyes? » said Tucker. « She can’t see anything with her eyes. »
He said his wife could lose sight in her right eye and have further surgery.
Gomes said through tears: “I’m even scared to leave my house.
“I don’t even want to take the train. You know, I love my job so much, and part of me doesn’t want to go back because I’m scared.
» My life has changed. Everything changed,” said the mum, whose children are 13, 12, 9, 8 and 3.
Gomes said she had been working at the Queens airport for around 10 years when she was attacked around 5.15am, with her attacker ranting about Satan.
Police say Foster’s previous crimes include beating his grandmother to death when he was 14.
« What this madman did in brutalizing a transit passenger is beyond outrageous, and we will be working with Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz to make sure he is not free to terrorize more New Yorkers. -Yorkers, » MTA New York City Transit President Richard Davey told The Post.
— Additional reports band David Meyer
GB2
