DALLAS — A man is recovering after allegedly being pushed on the train tracks at the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Morrell Station in Oak Cliff.
The incident happened about 5:45 p.m. on Monday. Dallas Fire-Rescue was called to the scene after calls came in the man was pinned under a train. Firefighters said they had to use the Jaws of Life to rescue the man.
Some passengers were on edge Tuesday, wondering why the victim was shoved onto the tracks as the train approached.
“That’s sad,” neighbor Pauline Coleman said. “That’s really sad.”
Some witnesses said the trouble started with an argument between men that quickly escalated.
”They were just kind of out of control,” DART rider Lonnie Smith said. "They talked to him, at first, then they wouldn’t let it go. Like he owed them something.”
The victim was rushed to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
However, some DART passengers said they are uneasy knowing that the individual behind the shoving hasn’t been identified. There are several surveillance cameras around this Morrell Station, but DART workers say the cameras were not working on Monday.
They said they are trying to make repairs right now. A spokesman from DART explained the agency is looking at other video sources, like rail vehicles, as part of the investigation.
Bond funding allowed DART to step up coverage, adding more officers last year. Yet, neighbors claim the busy Morrell Station has been a hot spot for trouble in an area dealing with drugs and other crimes.
Smith believes cameras could provide an extra set of eyes for security.
“It’s always a concern to riders,” Smith said. “Riders they get off, get on. You know they go different places from here. It’s always a big major concern.”
As the investigation into the pushing incident continues, neighbors were encouraging riders to be safe.
"Just be careful and pray," Coleman said.