Death of Michelle Go

Michelle Alyssa Go (Chinese: 高慧民; December 29, 1981 – January 15, 2022) was a 40-year-old American woman who was pushed into the path of an oncoming New York City Subway train at the Times Square–42nd Street station, resulting in her death. The suspect, Martial Simon, was subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree murder.[3][4]

This article is about the Chinese-American woman who died in New York. For the actress, see Michelle Goh.
Death of Michelle Go
Part of violence against women in the United States
Undated photo of Go
LocationNew York City, New York, U.S.
DateJanuary 15, 2022 (2022-01-15) (UTC-5:00)
Attack type
Homicide by pushing
VictimMichelle Alyssa Go, aged 40
MotivePsychosis,[1] possibly anti-Asian racism
AccusedMartial Simon (deemed unfit to stand trial)
ChargesSecond-degree murder
Michelle Alyssa Go
Chinese高慧民[2]

Biography

Go was born to Justin and Marjorie Go on December 29, 1981, in Berkeley, California.[4] She grew up in Fremont, California, with her parents and her brother Jefferey.[5][6] Circa 1994, she attended American High School in Fremont, where she was a member of the Honor Society as well as a cheerleader. She graduated in 1998. She studied economics at University of California, Los Angeles, graduating with a degree in economics in 2002. She first worked at Ferguson Plumbing Supply in Pasadena, California, as a customer service and sales representative.[4]

In 2010, she obtained a Master of Business Administration from the New York University Stern School of Business. She worked at Barclays Capital, before joining financial firm Deloitte, where she worked in mergers and acquisitions.[4]

Go was known for her volunteer work. She had worked with the New York Junior League (NYJL) for over a decade, helping many low-income New Yorkers. The NYJL released a statement after her death.[7]

Death

On January 15, 2022, Go left her apartment on the Upper West Side of New York City and was waiting for an R train at Times Square-42nd Street station.[8] According to police, Go was pushed from behind onto the tracks into the path of the oncoming R train at about 9:30 am. The perpetrator was identified as a 61-year-old homeless man named Martial Simon. Go was pronounced dead at the scene.[9][10] Simon fled the scene but later surrendered and admitted guilt.[11]

Simon, a former taxi driver originally from Haiti,[12] had been previously convicted of attempted robbery in 1999 and 2019 and had a warrant out for violating his parole.[11] Shortly before the incident, he had allegedly been harassing other commuters. Another woman later told investigators that she had also been approached by Simon and that she felt threatened by him, so she walked away from him. Simon turned himself in to police shortly after the incident, and has been charged with second-degree murder.[13]

According to the police, Simon has a history of mental illness, having been diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2002.[12] Attorney Mitchell Schuman of NYC Defenders said that, instead of understanding the complex issue of a city "[w]ith so many unhoused black people with unaddressed mental illness, it would be a shame if Mr. Simon was sacrificed at the altar of vengeful public opinion."[11] On April 19, 2022, Simon was deemed unfit to stand trial and indefinitely committed to a locked psychiatric facility.[14]

Reaction and concern

Go's death received attention due to its unprovoked malice. Since the killing occurred during the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, media and investigators speculated about whether she was targeted because she was Asian American. Vigils, organized in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City, were attended by hundreds of mourners. The case inflamed concerns over the homelessness and mental illness crises and elevated fears of soaring rates of violent hate crime, with residents calling for better security and social policies.[15][16][17][9]

Following Go's death, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced in February 2022 that it would install platform screen doors at three stations as part of a pilot program. The stations included the 7 and <7>​ trains' platform at Times Square, as well as the E platform at Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport and at Third Avenue.[18][19] Even before Go's death, there had been calls to install platform screen doors at several stations, but the MTA had not done so. The pilot program at Times Square does not include the platform where Go was killed.[18]

See also

References
  1. Kaufman, Maya. "Fatal Neglect: Homeless New Yorkers with serious mental illness keep falling through the cracks despite billions in spending". crainsnewyork. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  2. Rong, Xiaoqing (January 20, 2022). "华裔命丧纽约地铁背后的种族迷思". The New York Times (in Chinese).
  3. Funk, Luke (January 19, 2022). "Michelle Go Case: Homeless man charged in Times Square subway killing". FOX 5 NY. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  4. Sanchez, Ray; Moshtaghian, Artemis (January 19, 2022). "Times Square subway victim Michelle Alyssa Go remembered as a 'compassionate soul'". CNN. Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  5. Ardrey, Taylor (January 19, 2022). "The family of the 40-year-old woman who was pushed in front of NYC subway train says they're 'in a state of shock'". Insider. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  6. Lin, Summer (January 17, 2022). "Woman killed after being pushed onto NYC subway tracks grew up in Fremont". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  7. Sanchez, Ray; Moshtaghian, Artemis. "Times Square subway victim Michelle Alyssa Go remembered as a 'compassionate soul'". CNN. Archived from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  8. Kilander, Gustaf (January 18, 2022). "Family of NYC subway victim shoved to death in front of a train speak out". The Independent. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  9. Tully, Tracey; Southall, Ashley (January 19, 2022). "Woman Pushed Onto Subway Tracks 'Never Saw' Her Attacker". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  10. Lonas, Lexi (January 19, 2022). "Judge orders psychiatric evaluation for suspect in fatal New York subway attack". The Hill. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  11. Novini, Rana (January 19, 2022). "DA: Man in Woman's Deadly Times Square Subway Shove Used Both Hands to Kill Her". NBC New York. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  12. Newman, Andy; Schweber, Nate; Marcius, Chelsia Rose (February 5, 2022). "Decades Adrift in a Broken System, Then Charged in a Death on the Tracks". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  13. Woodward, Alex (January 16, 2022). "Suspect and victim in deadly Times Square subway attack identified". The Independent. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  14. Newman, Andy (April 19, 2022). "Man Charged in Fatal Subway Push Deemed Unfit for Trial". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  15. Branigin, Anne (January 19, 2022). "For many, Michelle Go's NYC subway death highlights failures in public safety for women". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on March 16, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  16. "After Bay Area native Michelle Go was pushed to her death, NYC mayor says even he doesn't feel safe on subway system". The Mercury News. Associated Press. January 19, 2022. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  17. Lin, Summer (January 19, 2022). "Mourners attend vigils in S.F., NYC for Michelle Go, Bay Area native and subway attack victim". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  18. Gold, Michael (February 23, 2022). "Subway Will Test Platform Doors at 3 Stations". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  19. Brosnan, Erica (February 23, 2022). "MTA: Platform barrier pilot program to launch in three stations". Spectrum News NY1 | New York City. Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
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