Tyler Clifford & Dan Whitcomb

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – New York City’s Transit Chief said Wednesday that the city will try to install barriers on a handful of subway stations. This comes amid concerns from residents about a rising number of riders being violent.

This is five weeks after Michelle Go (40) was killed and struck by a train at Times Square station. An assailant pushed her onto the tracks unassisted.

Janno Lieber of Metropolitan Transportation Authority stated that the barrier can’t be installed at all subway stations because they are too old.

Lieber stated that it doesn’t work well in many places. He also said that installations will be tested in Times Square, two busy stations, and expanded upon success.

He said that he was also planning to pilot new technologies for track intrusion detection using thermal technology and laser technology so that we know faster when people are on the tracks, and hopefully interdict this kind of behavior.

Lieber stated that the city will deploy mental health and police teams to help homeless riders and get rid of “disorderly behavior” like drug abuse and other forms of violence.

In Go’s Jan. 15th murder, police arrested a man aged 61 who was accused of being a paroled felon. They said that the mentally ill and homeless victim may have been chosen at random by him. However, activists believe that Go was targeted by hate-driven attacks on Asian Americans in New York City.

A man tried to assist a fellow man that had fallen on the subway tracks following an attack by several assailants, but was caught and killed by a train. In that instance, two people were charged with murder.