#Cops release photo of suspect in NYC subway hammer attack

As a courageous city health worker remained hospitalized following a vicious subway station assault, the NYPD released an additional photo of the maniac mugger wanted for bludgeoning her with a hammer.

The disturbing Thursday night assault of Nina Rothschild at the Queens Plaza E, M and R station was caught on video.

Rothschild was taken to Weill Cornell Medical Center in critical condition with a fractured skull and bleeding to her brain, according to cops and sources.

The Queens woman was listed in stable condition early Saturday, according to an NYPD spokesman, who did not elaborate.

Rothschild’s unhinged attacker, a man wearing a black hooded coat, a black mask, blue jeans and black shoes remains at large. Cops said he carried a cane.

Rothschild was on her way home from work as a research scientist with the Health Department around 11:20 p.m. Thursday when her male attacker snuck up behind her and kicked her, apparently trying to make her fall, as she was walking down the station’s stairs, according to cops and the footage.

The woman kept her balance, but the attacker then pulled out a hammer and clocked Rothschild several times on the head. He also tried to grab her bag before dealing another set of brutal blows, the clip shows.

The sicko finally snatched her pocketbook – which contained two cellphones, debit cards, credit cards and an unknown amount of money – as his victim helplessly yelled, ”Stop!” and ran back up the stairs, according to the footage and sources. He fled south on Queens Plaza South, cops said. 

Police said they believe the suspect targeted Rothschild after watching her window shop before heading down into the subway station.

Mayor Eric Adams on Friday declared that the twisted suspect wanted for assaulting Rothschild must be caught. “We need to catch him. He needs to be incarcerated,” Adams said.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.