Good Samaritan says he was attacked calling police at Metro

Published March 1, 2011 5:00am ET



A man who says he was trying to call police to stop a group of teens from attacking another Metrorail rider said the mob then turned on him.

Now the Guardian Angels are calling for the community to step up and make the transit system safer.

NBC Washington is reporting that Robert Joy was attacked on Friday evening on the Green Line in Prince George’s County.

At about 6:30 p.m. Friday, Joy was waiting for his niece to arrive at the Suitland Metro Station on the Green Line in Maryland when he saw a group of about 15 teenagers dressed in black, some wearing masks, beating up another teenager on the ground.

A woman urged Joy to call 911. When he took out his phone to call police, the teen mob turned on him, he said.

The teenagers knocked Joy to the ground and kicked him in the face.

“It’s a tragedy for innocent people to get attacked at the subway,” Joy said.
Joy’s two front teeth were knocked out. He has six stitches inside his mouth, two stitches outside. His right eye is black and blue and bloody.

Local Guardian Angel leader John Ayala said his group will be patrolling the transit system both in uniform and now without their signature red berets, as well.

“The attacks are out of control,” he wrote in an e-mail. “It’s time for the community to do their part to make the Metro safe for everyone.”

The volunteer security group has been patrolling Metro for years on and off but stepped up their efforts a high-profile Jan. 2 attack L’Enfant Plaza.