Nedal Kifayeh had a good feeling about the future until Thursday. The 30-year-old isn’t even sure if he will be able to see out of one eye again.
“He literally was stabbed in the eye, and now he’s gonna be – I hope that’s not the case – but the doctor said he might not be able to save his eye,” said his brother, Islam.
Police say a man walked up to his brother in the Bay Ridge Avenue R station and stabbed him in the left eye. Islam says his brother was on his way to work at a reception desk at the time.
“Be strong, my brother. He’s a soldier. He’ll get through this.” That’s all we have to say: “Thank God he’s still alive.”
His family says the victim had to call 911 by himself while blood was pouring out of his eye. His brother Jay Kifayeh says it was 4:30 a.m. and there was no one else or a police officer in sight.
“These fares cost money, and we pay them. We should be protected.” They should be begging all of these people, “We’re protecting you, we’re looking out for the citizen,” but it doesn’t seem like that, Jay adds.
Video footage showed the suspect jumping the turnstile, but he or she ran off on the train after the attack and has not been seen since. He was last seen with a blue Amazon vest, dark sweatpants, white shoes, and a black hooded sweatshirt with a picture on it.
Nedal had to have surgery right away because his orbital was hurt, his optic nerve was cut, and he might not be able to see again. He didn’t know who he thought was attacking him.
This year, there has been less crime in public transportation thanks to more police officers and mental health workers.