A violent offender on parole has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly shoving an elderly woman onto subway tracks in Midtown Manhattan over the weekend. The incident occurred Saturday at approximately 11:30 a.m. at the 57th Street and 7th Avenue station.
Zaki Smith, 36, was arrested during Monday evening's rush hour and charged in connection with the attack. Authorities also charged him with felony and misdemeanor assault. The 70-year-old victim sustained a head wound and was transported to Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she is in stable condition.
Bystanders who witnessed the alleged assault intervened by jumping onto the tracks to pull the woman back to the platform.
Smith has a criminal record with 14 previous arrests, according to authorities. He was previously convicted of felony assault in Manhattan in November 2021 and was released on parole in May 2025. His post-release supervision is scheduled to conclude in 2030. His prior arrests include a May 2025 robbery of an MTA worker, during which he was also found in possession of FDNY work phones.
His most recent arrest prior to the subway incident was on June 16 of this year, for allegedly stealing cleaning supplies from a Flatiron building after accessing it via a service elevator.
Smith was awaiting arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday for the alleged subway shove.