Two More Die In Subway Overnight

Two men died early this morning while in the city's subway system; both are believed to have been homeless. The first incident occurred around 2 a.m., when a man passing from one car to another while the train was in motion at 145th St. and Columbus Ave. fell and slipped between them. He died at the scene. The second incident reportedly occurred around 5:20 a.m. at the Bowling Green station in downtown Manhattan. Police responding to a reported stabbing found a man bleeding from his chest, although health causes have not been ruled out. He was declared dead on the scene at 5:28 a.m.

Both men's deaths come on the heels of a report that showed the population of homeless people living in the subway had surged by a third over the past year, to 1,600 people. The 33% jump occurred even as the number of homeless people counted by the city decreased slightly, to 3,700. As it stands now, more than 40% of all homeless people actually call the subway their home. Back in January, a homeless veteran named Jose Martinez was struck and killed by a 6 train after he fell while the train rounded the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall loop.

(Purple Pants, by SONYBlockbuster at flickr)