CNN commentator appears to mock concerns about NYC subway crimes: 'Riders paralyzed with fright'

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A New York-based CNN commentator was slammed by Twitter users after he appeared to mock people’s concerns and national media coverage of New York City subway crimes. 

"Going home on the violent NYC subways. Riders paralyzed with fright," NY1 anchor and CNN political commentator Errol Louis tweeted Monday night, alongside a video taken from inside the 14th Street MTA Subway.

The video showed an uncrowded subway station, with people standing patiently by the tracks, a man crouched down with his young son, and another man casually playing a trumpet. 

New York Times national reporter Michael Powell initially agreed with Louis, writing that he believes "fear and loathing is overstating." However, he added that at 9:15 am on the Q line at 72nd Street, he saw a homeless man abuse and threaten to cut open a young man riding to work. 

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"And I’ve seen that play out 3x this year," he added.

Louis responded to several people who had commented on his post, many of whom disagreed with the substance of his tweet. 

"I’m not shocked at your post. I have the highest respect for you but facts are facts. Subway crime is up, violence on subways is real and yes woman [sic] are fearful. Would not allow either of my daughters to ride the subway," Robert Pacifici tweeted. 

"If you and everyone we care about simply flee the subways, our absence makes the system more empty and therefore more dangerous," Louis replied. "New Yorkers need to link arms, show up, and retake our city, it will be scary at times, but we vastly outnumber the criminals."

Louis also responded to another Twitter user, David Toscano. He told Louis that it seemed "obvious" that a memo had been sent around to the "bankrupt defenders of the broke status quo" in order to push the angle that the New York City MTA system is dangerous. 

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"It’s perhaps a little surprising that a member of the media is openly jumping into what has so far been a highly partisan scrum," he added.

Louis responded that "partisan scrum" is the problem and while millions of New York City subway riders are trying to make the city work properly, politicians and ideologues aren’t helping by attempting to "score cheap political points."

Louis did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. 

Several other Twitter users criticized Louis for his initial tweet. 

A top story in NY1's headlines Tuesday morning read "Mourners gather for wake of man killed on L-Train." Louis, who also writes for New York Magazine, has worked at NY1 since 2010.

In April, Louis sat down with MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber appeared on NY1’s Inside City Hall to discuss subway safety two weeks after a mass shooting on a Brooklyn subway train. Louis also wrote about the mass shooting in an April New York Magazine piece, and has referenced subway safety and crime multiple times in his articles throughout 2022. 

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May NYPD crime statistics showed that transit crimes are up 57.5% year-to-date, with 975 incidents reported 2022 compared to the 576 in 2021.

Speaking during an MTA board meeting that same month, NYPD Transit Chief Jason Wilcox announced that the city this month had rolled out the Train Patrol Force, or TPF, to "perform dedicated, targeted and visible travel patrols on the late evening and overnight hours."

Fox News' Stephanie Pagones contributed to this report.