NEW YORK – A man accused of attempting to sexually assault a woman on a New York City subway has a troubling history, including an alleged attack on a toddler years ago, a Westchester County father says.
The latest incident occurred Thursday when a woman riding alone on a W train was attacked by 34-year-old Tyriek Martin. Police say Martin smashed her head against a pole and attempted to sexually assault her. The victim’s screams for help alerted construction workers at Times Square station, who rushed onto the train and restrained the suspect until officers arrived.
NYPD sources confirm that Martin has been arrested dozens of times, with a long history of violent and unprovoked attacks.
Among them is an incident nearly four years ago, when Martin Fleurant’s 2-year-old daughter was randomly struck in the face with a heavy suitcase on the Lower East Side. Now 5 years old, she still bears a scar under her eye.
“She was lucky that she didn’t lose her eye, and this guy is out there still hurting people,” Fleurant said. “This guy’s bad news.”
Martin has also been arrested for throwing a metal can at a school crossing guard in 2022 and another random attack last August—both times he was immediately released.
The case involving Fleurant’s daughter was dismissed after the suspect was deemed incompetent to stand trial.
Fleurant supports Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to make it easier to involuntarily commit defendants with severe mental illness.
“These people are out there, and they’re not getting care. And if they commit crimes or whatever, they catch them and release them,” he said.
In search of safety, Fleurant and his family have left the city for Scarsdale, though he still commutes to New York for work.
With repeat offenders like Martin cycling through the system, many New Yorkers fear for their safety, calling for urgent reforms to prevent further violence.
