Amira Hunter, a 23-year-old woman from Brooklyn with a history of eight prior arrests, was recently arrested for the assault of Iain S. Forrest, a 29-year-old cellist, in the New York City subway. The incident, captured on video, occurred while Forrest was performing in the Herald Square station, where Hunter allegedly hit him in the head with a metal water bottle. Despite the severity of the charges and her history of failing to appear in court, Hunter was released on supervised release after her arraignment on second-degree assault charges.
Hunter’s criminal record includes a recent arrest in October for allegedly stealing two bathing suits worth $2,050 from Bergdorf Goodman, along with two instances of assaulting her mother in 2019. The Manhattan DA’s Office pushed for a $15,000 cash bail or $45,000 bond due to her track record, yet she was set free under supervised release.
The attack has left Forrest traumatized, to the point where he couldn’t bring himself to play music since the assault. He recently announced the indefinite suspension of his subway performances, citing a need for the NYPD to protect musicians. Forrest is part of the MTA’s Music Under New York program, which schedules musicians to perform at transit hubs across the city.
In response to the ongoing threats faced by subway performers, Forrest and other musicians have formed the Subway Performers Advocacy Group, demanding better security measures to protect artists. The MTA has issued a statement condemning the violence and pledging accountability for those responsible for such attacks.
Hunter’s release has sparked discussions about the justice system’s handling of individuals with a history of criminal behavior and the impact on victims and public safety.