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Woman Nabbed, Facing Hate-Crime Murder Charges

Sketch: NYPD

Dec. 29, 2012 Staff Report

A 31-year-old woman has been arrested and is likely to be charged with second-degree murder as a hate crime, according to a source within the Queens district attorney’s office.

The woman, Erika Menendez of the Bronx, is in custody after making statements that implicated herself in the death of Sunando Sen.

Menendez was recognized this morning on a street in Brooklyn by a passer-by who called 911, according to police.  The caller said she resembled the woman in the video fleeing the scene Thursday night. The police responded and confirmed her identity and brought her to the 112th Pct detective squad where she confessed to the homicide.

Menendez was then identified this afternoon in a lineup as the woman who pushed Sen into the path of an oncoming No. 7 train at the 40th Street subway stop, the police said.

The New York Times reported that a law enforcement official said that Menendez had “told the cops it was an act against Muslims,” and cited the Sept. 11 attacks. The victim was born in India and, according to a roommate, was raised Hindu.

 

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109 Comments

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SuperWittySmitty

Jemma, it sounds as if you were born to bicker. Happy New Year, and use public transportation- it’s cheaper and much more exciting than owning a car.

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5_Foot_Gremlin

***Extra! Extra! Sunnyside Bumfights Saturday at 9 p.m. between 45th and 46th streets! Get your tickets at http://www.sunnysidebumfights.com while they last! Refreshments will be served courtesy of Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, YumYum, Pio Pio, Alpha Donuts, Sunnyside Fresh Taco, Mr. Wonton, Pink Icing, Wendy’s, and Salt & Fat!

The winner will get 4 quarters, a bottle of Mylanta, and a fresh pair of brand new Depends adult diapers. [This applies mainly to Squirts the Bum. We are tired of seeing your masterpieces shot onto the pillars of the 7 train viaduct.]

Come on come all! Bring cameras. Refereed by that homeless dude under the 7 who always has different clothes on every day.***

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Jemma

P.S. supernotsowittysmitty i can complain about whatever I want, it’s a place to assemble and converse so don’t tell me to quit it.

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Sunnyside promoter

How bout a cage match between CHAAAANGE bum and the carpetbagger who holds the door at the 46th St Dunking Donuts. Anything goes, you wanna fling feces, urinate on your opponent, go for it….

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Kanye West

Lets get back to the facts, the woman is a psyko!! but its a new year 2013 and there will be a new baby, the GREATEST BABY OF ALL TIME born later in da year. i aint talkin william and kate, I will bust on da scene when their baby comes out and declare that mine an kims will be the GREATEST OF ALL TIME!!

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SuperWittySmitty

Quit complaining about the quality of comments, already. This is NT and people like to yell and argue. I think this IS a forum, anyway. A place where people assemble and converse.

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Solution

Ruben-if youre do concerned about this dirtyass bum why dont you do something about it? Teach him how to wipe his ass properly.

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Ruben

Remember, Rubenesque is not Ruben. I’m the guy warning you of “Squirts the Chaaaaange Bum”

which is a hilarious name by the way.

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"Squirts" The Sunnyside Bum

I don’t always poop liquid butt sauce, but when I do, it’s on Rubenesque’s face. Your comments are retarded, sir. Now gimme some change and zip your lip before I really get upset.

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Jemma

Thanks- get a life. Somehow someone else thought they needed to educate me on the way a forum is ran. FYI this is a comments section and not technically a forum. No, I didn’t accidentally wander onto here. I’m a long time resident as a matter if fact who has been frequenting this site for some time. I usually just read people’s comments and don’t contribute too often. Which I’m entitled to do, as much as I’m entitled to make a comment. That’s why we’re all here right? Excuse me for making the suggestion that we should watch out for each other and try not to bicker about EVERYTHING. If your goal was to get me to bicker with YOU. Not gonna happen. So anyhow…

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So disgusted

The chaaaange bum needs to go. He seems to be an alcoholic – he always looks hung over and stands on corners throwing up. Disgusting. Makes the neighborhood look bad.

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Ruben with a Snuggie and hot cocoa

About 7 yrs ago a new chicken place opened on 46th and the chaaaange bum came in and walked to the back and into the bathroom. He came out a few minutes later with his pants down and diarrhea dripping from his pants and shoes as he walked out leaving a path of mess along the floor. We are still dealing wth this crazy person.

The other day he banged on the glass bus stop and some scared elderly man opened his wallet and gave him a dollar due to fear.

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kanye west

me n kim iz having a baby! gonna be one of the GREATEST BABIES OF ALL TIME! I dont want crazee people doing harm to my great baby and others so I am all for rounding up the mentally ill and keepin em separate from us normal peeple of society. peace an out.

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Rubenesque

Jemma, this is a forum where women and men gather and exchange ideas that are usually emotional responses to recent stories or events we’ve all had on our mind. It is in this sort of forum that you will hear a lot of crazy, not-really-thought-out ideas, though. It’s a new and sometimes controversial way of interacting and addressing your neighbors- the fact that it’s done with anonymity adds to (and subtracts from) the overall authority of the final message, though. Sorry if you’ve encountered any “bickering” but it’s the nature of the beast. Maybe you wandered in here by mistake?

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Ignorance is Bliss Street

More than 4 days after this cold-blooded murder and still not a word about this on JVB’s website, no press conference, no candle light vigil, nada. Just a lame facebook comment.

The people who said JVB only cared about the Rispoli murder because he was gay and a personal friend were absolutely correct.

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Jemma

I have to agree with SOME of Ruben’s points. Honestly people, you have to be aware of what is going on around you at all times. You can’t walk around assuming everyone is normal, decent or honest. As far as bums in this neighborhood go, you never know what their story is and if they can snap. The chaaaaange bum craps underneath the train which is disgusting. Going back to the original issue at hand here, which was this mentally unstable woman who killed someone, honestly people like this are dangerous to have out in society. I think anyone could of ended up her victim. She could of pushed someone into oncoming traffic on queens blvd for all we know. Then what? People who are unstable and evil will find a way to fufill their urges by any means neccessary. Our job is to be aware and alert and try to stay out of situations that put us in danger. We shouldn’t be bickering about whose idea is better, who is more right and who is being politically incorrect we need to watch out for ourselves and for each other and try to keep this neighborhood safe.

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Rubenesque

Are you the old Mike? And the Real Ruben? Real Ruben, do you really think the guy on the sidewalk is dangerous and should be taken into custody? You feel that he is maniacal?

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Ruben

Maybe what you people should do is listen to others when they tell you someone is crazy. For example, the Chaaaaange bum is crazy. he’s not well..yet you people keep walking passed him and some even giving him money and food.

are you going to wait till he throws acid in your babies face? or are you all going to demand that this maniac is taken off the streets and stops shitting under the train.

but noooo..just another stupid comment from ol’ Ruben here.

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JuliaJ.

We also need to be more vigilant and file more police reports (and I also wonder if that does any good). If members of her family had police records (and it appears that some of them did) it is not surprising that they did not get the police/mental health people involved sooner. How did this woman pay her rent? Was she receiving welfare? Was a case worker assigned to her? There are still unanswered questions. She also attacked a former fireman a while ago and was arrested for it. She was in and out of jail/hospitals.

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Rubenesque

There are a lot of anti-social and cranky people out there- some of them are probably reading this blog right now! We used to lock up miscreants but it was super-expensive and sometimes the wrong person was locked up. So Governor Reagan had them re-classified and it was illegal to lock them up. And here we are now.

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Lisa Simpson

You guys need to quit it with all these gay comments – theyre ridiculous! What could JVB possibly do that would change anything? This was a horrible tragedy – the poor victim is dead. We need to keep him and the family in our prayers – may he rest in peace.

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The real Ruben

Unless the victim was a Gay Male JVB will not do anything because it is out of his secular sect.

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Pete

Doc is right – these nut jobs shouldn’t be roaming the streets. The family shouldve been more involved in getting this woman the help she needed. They obviously knew she had a criminal record/violent tendancies and was unable to function like a normal human being. Why would they let her step foot outside the house or mental institution.

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JuliaJ.

This is not a hate crime. The woman was pacing and mumbling to herself before she shoved this poor man to his death. She would have attacked anybody who was standing too close to the edge. The D.A.’s in this city are full of it. I wonder if Jimmy Van Bramer will have a candle light vigil for this victim. I doubt it very much. This woman was nuts. Something has to be done about involuntarily committing people as she was in Bellvue recently as well as Elmhurst Hospital.

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Ruben

hey ignorance, who are you to say who is aware of their surroundings and who is not? Just because someone rocks music? you talk about my comments being idiotic but your comments are FAR more stupid. At least mine make a point whether you agree or not,

its a stupid point, why? because there’s people in la la land regardless if they have music blasting or not. And in the end you’re asking people to show what? more common sense right? which is what I initially said in my “stupid” comment.

because in the end it comes down to personal responsibility. you can’t cover every aspect of every area. you hippies always do that, you sit there throwing out ideas of how a system can be blamed, doors that prevent people from falling in. ok, so there’s doors there, who’s to say she wouldn’t just go up and stab the guy and run? We gonna ban knives now?

idiots, the lot of you. The species would be better off if you guys didn’t procreate

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Joey Spagna

Easy for you to say she’s mentally ill. You’re brother/uncle/father/friend was not the one thrown on the tracks. This woman needs to burn in HELL.

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46

It has been a while since I have read the comments. You people don’t change, yes people should be aware of their environment, but the human brain can really focus on one thing at a time. Don’t you guys anything better to do? Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Be careful of the dwi tonight! We just had one last week on 48 street and 48 avenue.

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Ignorance is Bliss Street

@doc

Nice straw man argument.

Tell me where I suggested everyone arm themselves to the teeth and wear crash helmets.

Do you have kids? If they ride the subway, do you tell them to be alert and know what’s going on around them, or would you consider that unreasonable as well?

@Ruben

Reading your comments can be detrimental to one’s IQ. If you can’t tell the difference between people who are deaf and those who voluntarily blot out their senses, sacrificing their personal safety for a bit of entertainment, then good luck to you.

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O'Shea

@sycamore
Quit talking bs please.
I do not know what you mean by underfunding. Psychology is a very in-exact science. here is a real life situation here in ny:
Two folks, animal killer and firebug are both classified as bi-polar. Firebug needs to be forcefully taken to the psych ward every few days inorder to take his meds. At $500/trip, firebug cost the tax payer, hundreds of thousands. He was finally admitted for a year.
Now animal killer is 36 and has never kept a job In his life. Animal killer, has a case worker that drives his meds to him. Animal killer is on welfare with more than enough money to feed a family of 3. Last year, animal killer tried to attack his eight month old nephew and was admitted to the mental hospital. Animal killer is pure evil and makes the hair on the back of your neck stand. He is bipolar?

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Ruben

Ignorance is bliss says “The REALLY crazy people are the idiots who can’t hear a damn thing except the music from the headphones stuck in their ears.”

So I guess deaf people are idiots too cuz they can’t hear a damn thing. those morons need to pay attention !

dummy.

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doc

I do not believe that people should leave doors and windows open, however I also do not believe people should walk around armed to the teeth wearing body armor and crash helmets.

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Ignorance is Bliss Street

@Doc

Yes, mentally ill people who pose a threat should be dealt with but some will always slip through the system. Welcome to reality.

Burglars, rapists and home invaders should also be restricted but by your logic, people should be able to leave their doors and windows unlocked.

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doc

Reading a newspaper, a book or an Ipod on the subway is not unreasonable. Having lunatics roaming the streets is. The reasonable thing to do is not to restrict the actions and abilities of law abiding citizens. If a person has shown that they cannot live within the laws of society whether it is because they are mentally ill, criminal or both it is their liberty that should be restricted.

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Sycamore

@Doc, The system failed the woman involved, and it also failed the man who was killed. I think we can agree on that much. Better trained mental health pros are only part of the solution.

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Ignorance is Bliss Street

Tell me then why people with zero common sense or self-preservation instincts aren’t out of their minds?

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Ignorance is Bliss Street

In light of this terrible tragedy and the many similar ones that have gone before, the REALLY crazy people are the ones who STILL stand at the platform edge when the train comes zooming into the station.

The REALLY crazy people are the ones who ride the subway more interested in looking at their iPhones rather than seeing what is going on around them.

The REALLY crazy people are the idiots who can’t hear a damn thing except the music from the headphones stuck in their ears.

Am I wrong?

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doc

We didn’t treat her, an expert did. How did that work out for us. When a person has shown that they are a danger to society and cannot or will not control their behavior they should be put away. Their civil liberties end where public safety begins. I would love for better mental illness treatment but it’s not happening. They get arrested, are put on some pill and released back to the public. If they come up with a better system great, until then lock em up. As far as being an actual doc, nope I just play one on the internet.

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86Mets

@Sycamore

You make some good points but unless the victims of mentally ill people have the foresight to be gay, white men and friends of important politicians, the issue will probably not be addressed.

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Sycamore

@Doc I sincerely hope you are not an actual doctor. Society is only forty or fifty years away from locking people up for life. That didn’t work too well. The current system of community mental heath facilities is badly hampered by underfunding, understaffing and neighborhoods who’s ideas extend all the way to “I don’t care what you do, just keep them away from me!” I don’t know enough about this case to come to any conclusions, but the suffering of that woman and her family was unalleviated and has now spread to more people. The way we treated her didn’t work very well, did it?

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86Mets

@Sunnyside Native

That’s it, a Facebook comment? Explain to me how that qualifies as “just as concerned” as about Lou’s murder. And you are right, you make my point as you stated: ”

“he may have had a bit more of an invested interest in Lou Rispolis’s murder being he was friends with that victim”

My point exactly.

As I asked before, when is the candle light vigil and march?

Let me guess, if it happens at all, it will be when he gets back from Christmas/New Year’s vacation.

It’s all about who you know.

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doc

Mental illness is treated as an illness. That is the problem. If I have a disease like cancer or heart disease and refuse to take my meds it is unlikely to affect others. However when you are nuttier than squirrel shit and refuse to take your meds you push people in front of trains. This at least the fourth time a person with a history of mental illness has done this. If a person is a danger to society if they refuse or forget to take their meds they should be confined to a secure facility. We should not have to doors and barriers on subway platforms.

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Sunnyside Native

@ 86 Mets…JVB commented about this incident on his Facebook page. Although he may have had a bit more of an invested interest in Lou Rispolis’s murder being he was friends with that victim, from what I know about JVB, he is just as concerned about this incident in his nighborhood / jurisdiction as Lou’s murder.

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86Mets

Just checked JVB’s website and not a word about this horrific murder.

I guess since the victim wasn’t gay or a personal friend of his, this case doesn’t get quite the priority as a certain previous local murder.

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86Mets

Now when is the candle light vigil for the murder victim?

Has JVB’s office expressed any outrage yet?

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Sycamore

When our society decides to treat mental illness as an illness–it would help take it out of the shadows if people stopped using such dark ages terms as “off her gourd” and “nuts”–people will not deny it in themselves, get treatment and–one hopes–get better.

This hemisphere has a deep history of religious intolerance, from missionaries saving the souls of the “heathens” to the Protestant scorn of “Papists” up until today, where ignorant people continue to have an abiding fear of those raised with a different set of beliefs. Medical treatment, education and a hesitation to judge quickly would help in this miserable situation.

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Rick Duro

She is obviously mentally ill. So much so that she doesn’t take her meds. In doing so she is a danger to society. Lock her up forever and make her listen to the Islamic Call for Prayer 5 times a day.

Canadian rock band Rush, lyrics from ‘Witch Hunt’:

“Quick to judge,
Quick to anger,
Slow to understand
Ignorance and prejudice
And fear walk hand in hand”

RD

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Know_where_to_run

I agree with Get A Life.

Committing a hate crime would require some rational thought and intent. She is obviously a complete psycho whose thoughts are off the charts irrational.

Twisting this into a hate crime will only serve those with a political agenda looking to stir up hate and unrest.

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Get a Life

If the woman is bipolar, how can this be a hate crime? Shouldn’t this be a “crazy crime?” I am sick of these showboating district attorneys. The woman was off her gourd and had already served time in prison for drug dealing. She was laughing wildly during her arraignment. She is nuts and should not have been on the streets. She was NOT arrested by the 108th – another precinct arrested her, I think it was the 112th. She had been in Elmhurst Hospital several times for treatment.

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"THE SUNNYSIDER"

I still favor builing a little house like the lirr has on their stations for weather protection and that will be safe and protect us from this time of siturations..it should be looked at..

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Another Sunnysider

@ Lesile how are you sure her fam and friends are trashy…Ones actions do not speak for all…judge people much?

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migwar

This was an appalling crime. The fact, if true, that the perpetrator targeted the victim in the mistaken belief that he was Muslim lends a hint of irony to it. None of this, however, justifies the low level to which some of the comment writers have sunk in reaction to this story. The worst offenders seem to be Gbg, O’Shea and Sunnysider. I doubt that I am alone in wishing that some moderator would purge their offensive comments and, if this represents a pattern, would consider banning them from this site.

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Viking

It is so unfortunate that people believing in religious hate are lurking around Sunnyside. Sunnyside has been a home for people belonging to all cultures and religions. Such incidents are defaming this neighborhood and moreover giving a terrifying sense of insecurity that you are being followed/targeted all the time by someone because of your religion. How would you send your children to school if you think there are people out there who can throw someone onto train track just because you believe in a particular religion. Certainly not a sign of a civilized society and a country which welcomes all irrespective of their faith or religion. Mr Sen was raised as Hindu and no Hindu was involved in that heinous crime that took place in 2001. It is so unfortunate that he lost his life just because someone had crazy, false and baseless ideas in her mind. Something must be done to make this neighborhood safer where everyone can feel safe about himself and his/her family.

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Lucky Lu

Earlier reports were that her relatives called the police last night after recognizing her from the video. Now the report is that a passerby recognized her. Either way, sounds like the 108th should not get credit for this arrest. Earlier a poster posted a link to her mug shot from a prior arrest …in the 108th. That means she was known to the 108th. I hope her previous arrest ad conviction records are released.

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Leslie

This woman is a piece of trash. I’m sure her friends and family are just as trashy as she is-worthless piece of …

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doc

Another bipolar person that should have been in a mental hospital. The legacy of Wilowbrook strikes again. Any person that is a danger to themself or others needs to held in a secure facility.

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svjo

It is very sad that cities like Medellin in 3rd world countries like Colombia, have a clean and safe train , and they can afford sliding doors, and , NYC capital of the world , cannot.

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Ruben

please don’t post as me, unless your name is Ruben too, then you need to add something to your name cuz I was here first bucko

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Ruben

That entire Menendez bloodline family is filled with criminals

one less waste of society off the street

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Robert

If they had to slow the trains down before entering the station do you realize how much longer our commute will be? I can not sacrifice any more time with all of the 7 train delays.
Putting up gates and rails for something that happens once a decade on average is ludicrous. It would be very costly which we would have to ultimately pay for. When a crime happens ppl ask for more cops on patrol but that would mean a lot more taxes too! Just pay attention to your surroundings.
In case you have not taken the 7 train before and seen the construction workers “work” it would take decades for them to do this on EVERY subway station in the 5 boroughs.

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Sycamore

@King of Queens We welcome visitors and immigrants from all over the world in Queens but we do not welcome rude people of any kind. We simply tolerate them and pray they quickly find somewhere else to practice their bad manners.

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mois

I was just wondering; would it be possible for the trains to slow down before they pull into the platform? This way if somebody falls, they would have time to come to a complete stop before hitting anyone? It surely would not be as costly as making any changes to the platforms!

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"THE SUNNYSIDER"

iT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT THE POLICE CATCH THIS WOMEN SO WE CAN FEEL SAFE RIDING THE TRAINS… IT IS TERIBLE TO TRAVELI IN FEAR AND HAVE TO WORRY WHO IS BEHIND US.. BUT WE NEED TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM OF ANYONE GETTING PUSHED IN FRONT OF TRAINS… WE DO NEED SLDIING DOORS ON THE PLATFORM TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING OR STAY BY THE STEPS OR BUILD A HOUSE ON THE PLATFORM SO WE CAN STAY INSIDE AND COME OUT WHEN THE TRAIN COMES… THAT SOUNDS VERY SIMPLE ….

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mois

I’m aware of the irony behind my question…but I just had to, since I would be really surprised if you happen to be talking about the lack of social problems in Britain…

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O'Shea

Her relatives turned her in. Is this surprising? She must have been hiding with them. If she looks anything like that sketch, then she is one ugly vicious witch. Uglier than a scrumhalf.

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Anonymous

You are so weird King of Queens…what would not happen in the UK? Your relatives would not turn you in????

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king of Queens

This had nothing to do with great Police work her relatives turned her in!!! so please stop with the false accolades for the NYPD. You Americans are ignorant this would never happen in Britain.

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Know_where_to_run

Excellent news. Let’s hope they got the right one and get her off the streets and subways.

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