An elderly woman on her way to a New Year’s Day church service fought off a group of teen girls who attacked her during an attempted robbery at a Brooklyn subway station, police said.
The incident occurred just after 6 p.m. at the Hoyt Street station, where 71-year-old Linda Rosa faced a violent assault but managed to defend herself.
Rosa, a retired Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) computer operations worker and longtime resident of East New York, had just exited a No. 3 train and passed through the turnstile when one of the teens grabbed at her purse.
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Refusing to give in, Rosa made a quick decision to resist.
“And then I [said to myself], ‘Oh, no, this is not going to happen today,’” Rosa recounted in an interview.
The attempted robbery escalated as another teen joined in, taunting Rosa by saying, “Oh, you want to fight?” Despite the intimidation, Rosa held tightly to her purse, determined not to let the attackers succeed.
“The first person kept fighting,” Rosa explained. “She punched me in my face, and I have my glasses on, and I have a cut on my nose. When she punched me in my face, my glasses flew to the floor.”
As Rosa fended off the attackers, one of the teens managed to grab a pocket pouch from her purse that contained her identification and medical records.
Rosa tried to defend herself further, attempting to kick one of the assailants.
However, she fell during the struggle, and one of the teens stomped on her.
Sensing she was in serious danger, Rosa acted decisively. “I got an impression in me that she was going to stomp me again, but she was going to aim towards my head,” Rosa said. She quickly stood up and grabbed the braids of one attacker, pulling her down.
The intense struggle continued as another teen tried to intervene.
Rosa then grabbed the second teen’s hair, holding both attackers down. “So I had them both facedown….[like] rams when they’re getting ready to fight,” Rosa described. She yelled for help as the other teens screamed, “Let them go! Let them go!”
Eventually, Rosa released the teens and began picking up her belongings. The group fled up the station stairs as Rosa shouted that she would call the police.
Rosa proceeded to the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church, where staff assisted her and contacted authorities.
She was later taken to The Brooklyn Hospital Center for treatment of her injuries. Despite the ordeal, Rosa expressed gratitude for not suffering more serious harm.
“Thank God they didn’t have no weapons,” she said. “I thank God I didn’t have a heart attack and a stroke and die!”
The NYPD released surveillance footage of the suspects passing through the turnstile, but as of Friday, the attackers remained at large.
Rosa, however, has chosen forgiveness over anger. “I forgive them. They do not know what they do,” she said. “They don’t know what they did. It’s just teenagers acting foolish.”
The incident highlights the ongoing violence within New York City’s transit system.
Rosa’s attack occurred during a troubling period that included a woman being burned to death, a man shoved in front of a train, and multiple stabbings and slashings.
“It could happen to anybody,” Rosa warned. “Now we’re seeing seniors getting attacked.
Anywhere – it can happen anywhere, any station. You could be walking down the street. You could be crossing the street.”
The investigation into the attack is ongoing, and police are urging anyone with information to come forward.
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