On Tuesday afternoon police received a call about a 26-year-old male who was pushed onto the tracks of a northbound A train. When he was lifted back onto the platform, he claimed he was shoved, unprovoked, by another male.

The alleged attacker, 38-year-old Calvin Wilson, was charged and arrested after fleeing on foot and then being later identified by the victim.

But Police Commissioner Dermot Shea told NY1 there’s a bigger issue here than just that incident.

Police have encountered the individual who was arrested multiple times. 

“We found him sleeping on the subway, we brought him into a shelter multiple times,” Shea said. "We arrested him in December for threatening an MTA employee with a pipe. We brought him as an emotionally disturbed person to the hospital multiple times."

“So that’s what the concern is here: There’s multiple opportunities to get this individual. I mean this individual has issues, there’s clearly mental health issues. ‘Where is this breaking apart?’ is the question,” Shea said.

The police commissioner said cases like Wilson’s present an opportunity to have a positive impact on the way incidents are handled, and that it’s not just about police.

“What’s interesting is this is a real problem now — it’s not easy — but we need to talk about it. At the same time, we’re saying, ‘take the police out of mental health illness.’ And in appropriate circumstances we support that, but there’s got to be follow-up. This person is a danger unfortunately and he’s not alone,” Shea said. 

The police commissioner also noted a woman was also pushed on the tracks just two weeks prior.