Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the prison sentence of Aditya Vemulapati for pushing a woman in front of an oncoming train at Union Square Station on November 19, 2020. Vemulapati was sentenced to 8 years in state prison and 5 years’ post-release supervision in New York State Supreme Court. Vemulapati pled guilty to Attempted Murder in the Second Degree on June 9th.
“Today’s sentence makes clear that we will hold accountable those who cause harm in our subway system,” said District Attorney Bragg. “We will remain focused on those who harm straphangers just trying to commute to home or to work.”
As admitted in the defendant’s guilty plea, on November 19, 2020, Vemulapati waited for a train to enter the Union Square station and then ran up behind a stranger and pushed her in front of the oncoming train. The victim landed between the tracks, and several train cars passed over her. She was rescued from under the train by firefighters and was treated at the hospital after an MTA worker radioed for help.
The entire incident was captured on video, and Vemulapati confessed to trying to kill the woman.
Assistant D.A. Danielle Turcotte handled the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Robert Ferrari (Chief of Trial Bureau 40) and Amy Hare (Deputy Chief of Trial Bureau 40), under the supervision of Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). TPA Emma Lester also assisted with the case.
