A woman is recovering after a brutal and unprovoked assault at a subway station in Brooklyn, where police say a suspect carried out a series of random attacks that left multiple victims injured and shaken.
Authorities identified the suspect as Curtis Signal, a 25-year-old man with a prior arrest record, who is now in custody and facing multiple assault charges.
Sudden and Violent Attack
The victim, 43-year-old Benita Frias, was attacked Saturday morning at the R train station at 53rd Street and Fourth Avenue in the Sunset Park neighborhood.
According to her family, the assault happened without warning.
“She didn’t look at him in the face, there was no interaction,” her daughter, Isamar Duran, tells ABC7.
Frias had just finished her overnight shift as a home health aide and was heading home when she was violently beaten.
Her mother described severe injuries, including trauma to her face, the back of her head, chest, and a badly damaged knee.
“She’s very traumatized, she’s in shock,” Duran said, noting that Frias underwent surgery and remains in recovery.
Multiple Victims in Rampage
Police say Signal’s attack spree began when he allegedly pushed a 51-year-old woman onto subway tracks before assaulting Frias. He then reportedly punched a 17-year-old girl.
All three victims are expected to survive, though Frias sustained the most serious injuries.
Officials said Signal has nine prior arrests over the past five years, including multiple assault charges — two of which involved incidents within the transit system. He was reportedly on probation at the time of the latest attack.
“This is very concerning,” Duran said. “Why is somebody like that on the streets? I don’t understand.”
Arrest and Charges
Signal was arrested shortly after the incident and arraigned Sunday night. Authorities say he is being held without bail and faces at least three assault charges, with the possibility of additional counts.
Police said that when taken into custody, he allegedly told officers he “did what he had to do.”
Frias’ family is now focused on her recovery while raising broader concerns about safety in the transit system. The incident has also renewed questions about repeat offenders and public protection.
