Republican attorney general candidate Saritha Komatireddy met the victim of a terrifying subway shoving Friday — as she accused Democratic incumbent Letitia James of fueling New York’s “broken” revolving-door justice system.
Komatireddy, a former federal prosecutor, was endorsed by Lydia Zuniga, a 65-year-old NYU security guard who was randomly pushed onto Bronx train tracks by a deranged nut in August.
“This is a total preventable act of violence,” Komatireddy said from the Bronx’s Rebekah Rehabilitation Center, where Zuniga — who had to get reconstructive surgery on her knee — is still recovering months after the unprovoked attack.
“The lack of prosecution of cases, the failure to enforce the transit laws, and the current broken bail laws, that Tish James championed, and continues to champion to this day mean that repeat offenders are arrested and released, arrested and released, over and over again,” she added.
Komtireddy, who said she was “honored” to have Zuniga’s endorsement, vowed to make stopping similar crimes a priority of if she wins on November 3 — then blamed the state AG for allowing it to happen in the first place.
“We have people in office right now like Letitia James who thinks it’s a good idea to let criminals out into our community and they are ideologically committed to that idea but then they totally ignore the results, the effects on the actual constituent,” Komatireddy said.
She vowed that if elected, she’d partner with the MTA and launch a transit crime “strike force.”
“We’re going to take repeat and violent offenders out of the subways altogether by banning them from subways for a time if they’ve proven to be repeat or violent offenders,” she said.
Zuniga’s alleged attacker — 29-year-old Juan Nieves — turned himself in at a psychiatric clinic the day after the August 27 shove and admitted what he did, authorities have said.
The 𝘴i𝔠ko allegedly snuck up behind Zuniga on the No. 5 train platform at East 180th Street and Morris Park Avenue as she headed to work — and the attack happened so fast she didn’t even see her attacker.
Bystanders were mercifully able to flag down police and stop trains from barreling into the station until they could free her from the roadbed, but she was severly injured.
“I am in pain constantly,” Zuniga said. “I still have a long way to go in order for me to use my left leg again.
“But hopefully, everything will start changing for the better for New Yorkers because we need a chance,” she added of Komatireddy, who visited her when she was in a trauma center after the attack.
“I believe she’s to going to make a difference and I want her to be the next attorney general,” Zuniga said.
“I do believe it, and I appreciate you showing up.”
Nieves, who had no prior arrests, according to the NYPD, was charged with attempted murder, assault and reckless endangerment, and was being held at Rikers Island on $100,000 bail pending his next court date in January.
Subway violence has been top-of-mind among New Yorkers for years amidst the ongoing shoving attacks. Crimes in the system increased slightly so far this year, rising by .9% as of October with 1,628 reports this year compared to 1,613 this time a year ago.
James’ office defended her record in office when reached by The Post.
“Once again, Ms. Komatireddy is playing politics with innocent lives,” a spokesperson said. “Attorney General Letitia James has fought for public safety by taking over ten thousand guns off the streets and taking down countless gun and drug smuggling rings.”
Komatireddy was trailing James about 34% to 54%, according to the latest Sienna University Poll. It’s been more than two decades since a Republican has been in the state AG’s office.
— Additional reporting by Amanda Woods and Vaughn Golden
