A 36-year-old violent criminal on parole now faces attempted murder charges after allegedly hurling a 70-year-old woman onto active subway tracks in Midtown Manhattan, leaving her with a severe head wound in a shocking weekend attack that highlights ongoing concerns about repeat offenders.

Repeat Offender Strikes Again in Midtown Station

Zaki Smith was arrested Monday evening by alert police officers and charged with attempted murder, felony assault, and misdemeanor assault following the Saturday morning attack at the 57th Street and 7th Avenue station. The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. when Smith allegedly pushed the elderly victim onto the tracks without provocation. Quick-thinking commuters jumped down to the tracks and rescued the woman, pulling her back to safety before an approaching train could arrive.

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A felon on parole was charged with attempted murder for allegedly tossing an elderly woman onto Midtown subway tracks over the weekend.

Zaki Smith, 36, was picked up by eagle-eyed cops during the… pic.twitter.com/8SLtkvyttQ

— Crime In NYC (@Crime_In_NYC) July 21, 2026

The victim was transported to Weill Cornell Medical Center in stable condition, where she received treatment for her head injury. Police confirmed Smith’s extensive criminal history includes 14 prior arrests, raising questions about the effectiveness of current parole supervision protocols for violent offenders in New York City.

Recent Release and Troubling Pattern

State Corrections records reveal Smith served time in upstate prison from November 2021 through May 2025 on a Manhattan felony assault conviction. He was released on parole last year, with supervision scheduled to continue until 2030. Despite this oversight, Smith allegedly committed multiple crimes within weeks of his release, including a May 2025 robbery of an MTA worker where he was also found possessing stolen FDNY work phones.

His most recent arrest occurred just one month before the subway attack. On June 16, Smith was charged with stealing cleaning supplies from a Flatiron building after using a service elevator to gain unauthorized access. He remained free despite this pending case when the weekend assault occurred.

Public Safety Concerns Mount

The attack adds to growing anxiety about subway safety and the supervision of violent parolees in America’s largest city. The fact that bystanders had to risk their own lives to rescue the victim from active tracks underscores the random nature of such attacks. Smith was awaiting arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court on the attempted murder charges, facing potentially decades in prison if convicted. The case raises fundamental questions about parole decisions for repeat violent offenders and whether current monitoring systems adequately protect the public from individuals with extensive criminal histories.