A group of bystanders is being hailed as heroes after they intervened to stop a suspected kidnapping attempt on a J train platform in Brooklyn, rescuing a 20-year-old woman from an alleged abduction.
The incident took place Sunday morning at a subway station in Cypress Hills. Authorities say the victim was on the phone with her mother when 42-year-old Fredrick Marshall allegedly tried to grab and drag her away. The woman managed to cry out for help, shouting, “Mom, he’s trying to take me!” while struggling to escape.
Her mother, who was racing to the station, arrived to find her daughter safe and being protected inside the MTA booth. “If it wasn’t for you guys, I wouldn’t have my child today,” she later told CBS News, visibly emotional as she thanked those who stepped in to help.
One of the witnesses, Rondel Whitfield, said he was headed to church when he saw the commotion and instinctively rushed to intervene. “I said, ‘Brother please, just let the lady go … Let the lady go.’ He’s like no. He just started being real barbaric. I’ve never seen nothing like that in my life,” Whitfield recounted.
According to reports, five men subdued the suspect and held him on the ground until police arrived. Marshall was arrested and charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree assault, and second-degree harassment.
The young woman sustained minor injuries and is recovering. Her family and the NYPD have publicly praised the fast actions of the bystanders, who potentially saved her life.
The NYPD is continuing its investigation, and the MTA has confirmed it is reviewing surveillance footage of the incident. Officials say the bravery shown by the group of men serves as a powerful reminder of community responsibility and intervention in the face of public danger.
