Another Random Act of Violence Worsened by Major Customer Service Fail

Yesterday's sucker punch story prompted another reader to share their experience. From James:

I was walking through the turnstile at Shaw-Howard University at around 6:15 p.m. on Jan. 4, and I had just put my wallet away after swiping through.

Out of nowhere a guy punched me in the face and just kept walking.

He didn’t try to take anything, and he didn’t say anything to me. He just punched me and moved on.

My glasses fell off, but I didn't hit the ground or anything.

I started pounding on the kiosk (as it was right next to it) and screaming that I had just been punched, and the Metro worker told me to stop pounding, and finished helping someone else.

I kept saying, "That guy, right there just punched me in the face!"

His response?

He told ME to dial Metro police!

He gave me the number and told me to call them.

So I asked him why he couldn't call, and he yelled at me to stop yelling at him.

So I called 911.

They patched me through to WMATA police who asked me what the kiosk worker did. I said nothing.

At that moment, the worker started SCREAMING at me - "DON'T YOU SAY I DID NOTHING! WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?! DON'T YOU SAY THAT!"

The Metro police asked if the person yelling was the assailant, and I said no and told them it was a Metro employee. The dispatcher told me to stop talking to the employee and walk away from him.

I understand that WMATA employees cannot chase these thugs, but he could have at least called the police, and showed a little compassion.

The cops came, took my information and statement and told me it would be tallied in the crime statistics as simple assault.

The EMS came just tomake sure I didn't have a concussion or anything.

It was bad enough to have been punched in the face, but to have the Metro worker show zero compassion, worry, or care about the incident, and to have him yelling at me was unacceptable.

I contacted WMATA directly to file an official complaint about this.

The woman I spoke to was horrified at the incident and at the behavior of the employee.

I spoke to a few supervisors and superintendents who all took my story down and moved it through the process.

They all said that some sort of action would be taken.

I never found out what the outcome was.

I was told that the investigation had been completed and that files were documented.

I emailed back asking what the outcome of the investigation was and what actions were being taken.

I was emailed the same exact letter that I had responded to.

When I wrote back saying it was the same exact letter, I got a response saying no further information could be shared because it was a personnel issue and corrective action had been taken.

Other than being bruised for a few days, and having some pain in my jaw, the biggest thing that was hurt was my sense of security on Metro.

All of the recent crimes have not helped. Something really needs to be done to stop the escalating violence.

Other items:
Video gives credence to armed robbery scenario (City Paper)
Va. officials push for above-ground station at Dulles (Examiner)
DC students to ride free? (Examiner)