A white man claims he was beaten and robbed by four men (and a fellow straphanger) on a train taking him home to the Bronx early Sunday morning and now the police are investigating to see if the crime had a racial bias. 29-year-old leather accessories designer Jason Fordell was first taunted and then attacked and robbed by a group of black men on the train to the Bronx just before 5 a.m. The Daily News reports that four of the men remain at large but police have arrested one Brooklyn man who reportedly joined in on the attack for kicks.
Fordell was returning home early yesterday morning from the East Village, where he sells his LethalWear leather goods. Things got ugly after he transfered to a 4 train at 42nd Street. "People started saying stupid little comments—cracker this, white boy this, f----t this," Fordell recounted to the Daily News. "I told them the only reason they were saying this is there was four of them and one of me. I'm a small, little white kid with long hair. They got guys three times my size threatening me."
As the train continued north, things continued to get worse and Fordell says he was eventually put in a headlock, punched, and kicked to the floor by the men. Eventually another passenger joined in, allegedly saying "Oh, I get a few shots, too," before doing just that. When Fordell got to his Fordham Road station he exited the train, only to have his bag grabbed by his original attackers. Fordell claims there was $2,900 worth of merchandise in his bag.
By the time the police arrived the four initial attackers were long gone but Fordell was able to spot the passenger who'd kicked him. Brooklyn man Barminthe Ramoutar, 54, who had no previous arrests, was charged with gang assault and robbery.
Police are investigating the attack, but tell us they won't decide if it was a hate crime until bias can be proved. The MTA, meanwhile, doesn't comment on ongoing investigations. In the meantime, people? If you see someone being beaten on the subway the proper thing to do is call for help. Not join in.
