An attacker whacked a Manhattan straphanger with a metal pipe because he told him not to shoot up on a rush-hour train, cops said.
The 31-year-old victim was on a northbound J train around 5:20 p.m. Wednesday when he spotted a man pulling out a syringe needle, cops said.
When the victim told the man not to do that onboard, the suspect struck him over the head with a metal pipe, authorities said.
The suspect got off the train at the Delancey/Essex Street station on the Lower East Side, cops said.
The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital, conscious and alert, police said.
The assailant, who wore a black T-shirt, blue hoodie, black jeans and white sneakers, was still on the loose Thursday morning.
The incident came days after an attacker struck Evelina Rivera, 30, with a metal pole on on a southbound 4 train near 167th Street around 2:30 a.m. Monday, cops said.
The assailant, who appeared to be homeless, asked Rivera and another straphanger to “shut the f–k up,” and started swinging the pole when they ignored him, according to police and Rivera.
The suspect is an apparent homeless man who attacked after the victim told him not to shoot up on the train. Stefan Jeremiah
NYPD have stepped up patrols in subways amid a rise in violent attacks. Robert MillerRivera got off the train at 167th Street and refused medical attention, police said.
But her attacker stayed on board and was not immediately caught.
