Probe into why suspect in 76-year-old's subway shove death was released from psychiatric hold
ABC7 New York • • nation
Key Points:
- Rhamell Burke, 32, was charged with murder after fatally shoving 76-year-old Ross Falzone down stairs at the 18th Street Chelsea subway station; Falzone died from traumatic brain injury, fractured spine, and rib injuries.
- Burke had been released from a psychiatric hold at Bellevue Hospital just five hours before the incident, following an earlier police encounter where he acted erratically and was evaluated.
- Burke has a history of arrests, including assault charges, and was on supervised release at the time of the fatal shove.
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani has ordered an immediate investigation into Bellevue Hospital's psychiatric evaluation and discharge procedures related to Burke’s release.
- Falzone, a retired special education teacher with a doctorate from Columbia University, was described by family as a gentle man who was unprovoked in the attack; Burke was arrested at Penn Station and arraigned on Saturday.
