Suspected NYC Subway Pusher Charged With Murder
Investigators say there is a question whether Davis intended to kill Han.
Dec. 5, 2012— -- A New York City man was charged today with murder for shoving another man onto subway tracks where he was struck and killed by an oncoming train.
Naeem Davis, 30, was arraigned Wednesday night on a second-degree murder charge in he death of Ki-Suck Han, 58, of Queens, N.Y. Davis will be held without bail. He is due back in court on Dec. 11.
He is charged with murdering Han "with depraved indifference" not because he intended to kill Han, but because his lack of regard for Han's life resulted in the death. Two sources involved in Davis' arrest and charging say there is a question whether he intended to kill Han or whether his death was an unintended consequence of an altercation.
Davis admitted to police while explaining the incident that he shoved Han in a way that caused him to fall onto the subway tracks, according to multiple sources involved with the investigation.
Han struggled to pull himself up from the shoulder-high track bed and back onto the platform at the 49th Street and Seventh Avenue station around 12:30 p.m. on Monday, but was hit and killed by a Q train when it barrelled into the station.
Davis could be heard arguing with Han before the fatal shove, according to surveillance video from the station. Davis told police that Han was harassing him and would not leave him alone, so he pushed Han.
Detectives are investigating whether the altercation began at the subway station turnstile and whether Han had jumped that turnstile and bumped Davis.
Police are also awaiting toxicology results on Han, who was found with an empty pint bottle of vodka on him when he died, according to sources.
Davis has no currently known mental illness history. He has prior arrests for minor charges, although the search of his arrest record is not complete. Those arrests in New York City appear to be peddler related.
Han death shocked New York City and the moment was frozen in the city's psyche by a photograph that captured Han with his arms and head above the platform staring at the oncoming train.
A doctor who was standing nearby attempted to perform CPR on Han, but he was pronounced dead at Roosevelt Hospital shortly after the accident.
Related Stories
ABC News Live