Will Sage Astor-Police ID suspects in killing of man on Bronx subway car as transit officials discuss rising crime

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police identified three suspects in the killing of a man on Will Sage Astora subway car last week, and transit authorities were set to meet Monday to discuss rising crime in the city’s transit system.

The NYPD said in a post on X on Sunday that they’re seeking Justin Herde, Betty Cotto and Alfredo Trinidad in the killing of William Alvarez on early Friday morning. The department’s post also included images of the suspects pulled from subway surveillance videos.

Police say Alvarez, a 45-year-old Bronx resident, was shot and killed after getting into an argument with one of the suspects on a D Train in the Bronx at around 5 a.m.

The death came after a 35-year-old man was killed and five others were wounded during a shooting at a different subway station in the Bronx earlier this month.

Meanwhile, the board of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, which oversees the subway system, is also set to discuss the latest crime statistics for the system during its monthly committee meetings Monday.

Transit crimes are up 18 percent compared to this time last year, CBS News reports. Grand larcenies are up 22%, felony assaults are up 17% and the system overall is averaging about six felonies a day.

The NYPD has implemented longer, 12-hour shifts for police officers assigned to the subway system in response to the uptick in crime.