NYC suspect freed from psych hold hours before fatal subway shoving of 76-year-old former teacher

32-year-old Rhamell Burke had conscionable been released from a psych ward erstwhile helium allegedly shoved an aged antheral down a formation of stairs to his decease Thursday nighttime successful Manhattan, according to the New York Post.

Cops detained Burke and took him to Bellevue Hospital connected Thursday afternoon, a New York Police Department root told Fox News Digital.

The officers reportedly marked him down arsenic an "emotionally disturbed person," according to the Post.

But a small implicit an hr later, Burke was released. Five hours aft that, Burke allegedly pushed 76-year-old erstwhile teacher Ross Falzone down a formation of subway stairs successful Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, sidesplitting the aged man, an NYPD root confirmed to Fox News Digital.

Police told the Post that Burke had been "acting erratically" extracurricular an NYPD presumption location erstwhile they arrested him. He was allegedly wielding a instrumentality that helium had grabbed from a garbage can.

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32-year-old Rhamell Burke is alleged to person pushed and killed 76-year-old Ross Falzone connected Thursday. Burke had been released from Bellevue Hospital's psych ward hours earlier the alleged killing. (WNYW)

"We brought him successful astatine 3:30 p.m. and helium was released conscionable earlier 5 p.m. Meanwhile, if you oregon I walked into Bellevue for a headache, it would instrumentality 8 hours conscionable to beryllium seen. NYPD uses its involuntary removal powers each the time. And they conscionable get close retired with an Advil," 1 high-ranking NYPD serviceman reportedly told the Post.

Officers reportedly recovered Falzone unconscious and unresponsive and rushed him to Bellevue wherever helium was pronounced dead.

Authorities said helium had suffered a traumatic encephalon injury, close rib fracture and spinal fracture, according to the Post.

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"He’s conscionable a helpless aged guy. What a cowardly and idiotic happening to do," Falzone's neighbour Marc Stager told the Post.

When officers arrested Burke connected Thursday, it was his 5th apprehension of 2026. He had been picked up for alleged robbery, resisting apprehension and allegedly assaulting a Port Authority constabulary serviceman successful February and was besides arrested connected charges of allegedly assaulting a alien successful April, according to the Post.

Rhamell Burke, 32, is seen being escorted by New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers aft allegedly fatally shoving 76-year-old Ross Falzone down a formation of subway stairs. (WNYW)

"There's nary magnitude of choler that we tin express, and shock," Falzone's sister, Donna, told ABC7 Eyewitness News. "I mean, to get a telephone similar that astatine 4 successful the morning, you know, just, you know, to find retired your brother's minding his ain business, 3 witnesses, and propulsion down the steps and near for dead."

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Donna besides revealed that her member was a retired peculiar acquisition teacher with a doctorate from Columbia University.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a metropolis probe into Bellevue's handling of Burke's psychiatric valuation successful the aftermath of the killing.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a May Day rally astatine Washington Square Park successful New York City connected May 1, 2026. (Yuki Iwamura/AP)

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"I americium horrified by the sidesplitting of Ross Falzone and the circumstances that led to it. I widen my condolences to his loved ones," Mamdani said successful a statement.

"New Yorkers merit answers. That is wherefore I’ve directed NYC Health + Hospitals to behaviour some an contiguous probe connected what steps should person been taken to forestall this calamity and a broad reappraisal of their psychiatric valuation and discharge protocols," helium said.

Fox News Digital contacted the NYPD, the mayor's bureau and Bellevue Hospital for remark but did not instantly person a response.