I was waiting for a train on the Green Line the other day and happened to be sitting next to a man who was attacked. Someone attempted to steal his phone. The man who was attacked was just sitting on a bench
with me with his headphones on, in his own world. A younger man in his thirties approached, pushing him
saying, “What the F are you looking at? Gimme your MF phone!” The man jumped up and tried to get away, but not before his attacker landed two punches to his head. It happened so fast that all I could do was jump up and get away from the altercation in hopes of maintaining my safety. The man did not give the attacker his phone and started to scream “Help! Help!” a few of us on the platform started to shout help too. The Metro managers were slow to act, and even as we pointed at the attacker, they just let him walk out of the
station. I suppose that might have been the safe thing to do, the police were called but ultimately the attacker got away and the victim filed a report. This was a scary situation that triggered some PTSD
flashbacks for me of some unsafe times. It makes me want to learn to protect myself better and to be aware of my surroundings. I no longer keep both of my headphones on and zone out when I am on the Metro. This situation could have turned fatal if that attacker had a weapon, or if no one has responded to our calls for help. Be vigilant and proactive about your safety while you are out on the Metro.
Here are some safety tips:
- Always ride in a Metrorail car that has other people
in it. Or in the first car where the operator of the
train is located. - Be sure to set up a GPS locator on your mobile
devices - Keep your small electronic devices and your phone
in your pockets. If you must use your phone, hold it
with both hands to make it more difficult to snatch. - If your phone or device is stolen, do not resist or
chase the person. Take note of the clothing and
identifying features of the attacker and call transit
police (202-962-2121). You can also text 696873.
