40th St. Flushing bound platform at 8PM....very few people.
Bench is near stairs, perp could have been out of sight in seconds.
Once the perp hit the mezzanine level, several different routes are available with no sight lines from foot of platform stairs.
Just how familiar with 7 line elevated stations are you?
Question:
Here in DC, there is about an 18 to 24” space under the Metro boarding platform that a quick-witted person who fell/was pushed onto the tracks could roll into to try to avoid being crushed by the train.
Do similar spaces exist underneath NYC subway platforms?
Not that it would have mattered much in this case, since the attack occurred at literally the very last moment.
Personally, I think it was premeditated murder.
While pacing and mumbling may be signs of a distrubed person, they could also be someone trying to work up the determination to act by going over (to themselves) the reasons why this person should die. The truth teller for me is the very quick departure and the multiple exits from the station.