CHELSEA, Manhattan (PIX11) \u2013 An unprovoked shove at a Manhattan subway station on Thursday left a retired New York City teacher and father dead, according to police sources.<\/p>\n
As a result of the death, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is looking into one Manhattan hospital\u2019s handling of psychiatric care in connection with the death.\u00a0As the suspect was allegedly released hours before the fatal shoving.<\/p>\n
Discover more local reporting on our homepage <\/a><\/p>\n The incident<\/p>\n Police officials say the victim, 76-year-old Ross Falzone, was passing through the 18th Street subway station in Chelsea when he was allegedly pushed down a flight of stairs by a man identified as 32-year-old Rhamell Burke.<\/p>\n The fall was ultimately fatal for Falzone. Emergency Medical Services took the victim to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, a fractured spine, and a broken rib and was later pronounced dead as a result of his many injuries, police sources tell PIX11 News.<\/p>\n Witnesses of the attack say it was unprovoked, and the victim never said one word to his attacker.<\/p>\n Make PIX11 your preferred news source on Google: Here\u2019s how <\/a><\/p>\n Mamdani launches an investigation in NYC Health + Hospitals\/Bellevue<\/p>\n Just hours before the attack, Burke, the alleged assailant, was taken to Bellevue Hospital by the NYPD for a psychiatric evaluation, according to the office of the mayor.<\/p>\n Burke remained at the hospital for approximately one hour before being discharged. Hours later, he allegedly pushed Falzone down the flight of stairs, according to officials.\u00a0Burke is facing one charge of murder, according to court records.<\/p>\n \u201cI am horrified by the killing of Ross Falzone and the circumstances that led to it. I extend my condolences to his loved ones,\u201d said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. \u201cNew Yorkers deserve answers. That is why I\u2019ve directed NYC Health + Hospitals to conduct both an immediate investigation on what steps should have been taken to prevent this tragedy and a comprehensive review of their psychiatric evaluation and discharge protocols.\u201d<\/p>\n A look into the suspect\u2019s background shows he was no stranger to police, having been arrested at least four times, including a random attack on a Port Authority officer, according to court records.<\/p>\n PIX11 News reached out to NYC Health + Hospitals, and a spokesperson wrote in an email:<\/p>\n \u201cWe welcome this review, and we expect that it will find our care was appropriate. \u00a0NYC Health + Hospitals\/Bellevue is justly nationally recognized for its services for complex patients and all New Yorkers without exception.\u201d<\/p>\n Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here<\/a>. <\/p>\n Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n