A man filmed kicking an elderly homeless woman in the face on a train was found and arrested, police said.
Marc Gomez, 36, was taken into custody in New York City on Saturday after video captured him allegedly attacking the 78-year-old woman, leaving her bloodied on a subway train in the Bronx in the early morning of March 10.
The New York Police Department released surveillance photos and video of the ‘unprovoked’ attack Friday and Gomez was arrested the following afternoon.
According to police, the victim is homeless and did not knew Gomez before the incident. She suffered swelling, bleeding, and cuts to the face.
‘Thank you to the worldwide community for the tremendous assistance,’ Shea wrote. He did not say how they tracked down the suspect.
Edward Delatorre, New York Police Chief of Transit, first acknowledged the attack on Twitter on March 22. A police spokesperson did not know if the department was aware of the attack between March 10 and March 22, People reported.
Gomez was charged with assault and harassment and is being held in lieu of $30,000 bail at the Vernon C Bain Center after prosecutors said he has a prior conviction for gun possession, according to the New York Post.
He is set to appear in court on March 29.
Gomez’s lawyer, Steven Mechanic, insists that the woman came at his client with a knife, which sparked the attack.
‘She was homeless and lying across the seat and wanted all other passengers to move. She said, at that point, “I have a knife and I’m going to stab you,” and flashed “a sharp instrument,’ Mechanic said.