Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the all-count trial conviction of KAMAL SEMRADE, 42, for pushing a woman into a departing train at the Lexington Avenue and 63rd Street station on May 21, 2023, leaving her paralyzed from the shoulders down. On March 9, 2026, a New York State Supreme Court jury convicted SEMRADE of one count each of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree and Assault in the First Degree. He is expected to be sentenced on May 6, 2026.

“Kamal Semrade turned a moving train into a weapon that caused devastating, life-altering injuries,” said District Attorney Bragg. “A jury of his peers convicted him of forcefully shoving an unsuspecting commuter from behind – a subway rider’s worst nightmare. I thank the survivor for bravely recounting her story at trial, and our skilled prosecutors for presenting a compelling case to secure this conviction.”

As proven at trial, on May 21, 2023, SEMRADE boarded the same train as the 35-year-old woman, who was commuting to work, at the Roosevelt Avenue stop in Queens. He then got off at the same subway stop as her at 63rd Street and Lexington Avenue before the unprovoked attack. At approximately 6:05 a.m., SEMRADE walked right behind the woman, who was adjacent to the train, then to her left side. He used both his hands to shove the woman by the head and neck, with all his force, into the moving subway car, which was accelerating to leave the station.

The victim’s face and head hit the train and she was flung back onto the platform, fracturing her spine. Following spinal surgery, the victim remains paralyzed from the shoulders down.

Immediately after the attack, SEMRADE travelled down the stairs to another platform and eventually fled the station. Upon returning to his shelter in Queens later that evening, SEMRADE placed the clothing he was wearing out for laundry service. He was identified by shelter employees based on an NYPD CrimeStoppers post and arrested two days after the attack.

Assistant D.A.s Katelyn Damanis and Megan Acosta are handling the prosecution of the case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Annie Siegel and Harrison Schweiloch (Deputy Chiefs of Trial Bureau 60), Charles Whitt (Chief of Trial Bureau 60), and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division).

D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD, particularly the Detective Eric Close (Manhattan Transit Squad); Sergeant Thomas Gerding of the 32^nd Precinct (formerly of the Manhattan Transit Squad; Officer George Cintron (Transit Division District 1); and Detective Michael Rivera of the 40^th Precinct Detective Squad (formerly Transit Division District 1). He also thanked the two Good Samaritans, who stayed and helped the victim until officers arrived.

Defendant Information:

KAMAL SEMRADE
Queens, NY

Convicted:

• Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, a class B felony, one count
• Assault in the First Degree, a class B felony, one count

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