Exclusive | Widow of man killed in NYC subway says Hochul’s new transit patrols wouldn’t have saved husband
The widow of a grandfather killed on a Brooklyn train a year ago said Gov. Kathy Hochul’s subway safety plan wouldn’t have stopped her husband’s ruthless killer — and she hasn’t stepped foot on the rails since his unsolved murder.
“It’s a good start from 9-5,” a grieving Jakeba Dockery, 43, told The Post about Hochul’s initiative to increase police patrols on subways from 9 pm – 2am.
“[But] that wouldn’t have helped at all because my husband was killed before [9 p.m.]. 24 hours would be a good gesture, that would be even better.”
Dockery’s husband, beloved school crossing guard Richard Henderson, 45, was shot dead when he broke up a fight over loud music onboard a Brooklyn 3 train on Jan. 14, 2024 — exactly a year before Hochul unveiled the plan during her “State of the State” speech Tuesday in Albany.
Henderson — who shared three kids and two grandchildren with Dockery — was the first subway murder of 2024, and nine more followed.
“It is sad that my husband is among those 10 people, that’s what breaks my heart even more,” Dockery said Wednesday. “It’s just sad.”
“Everyone is walking around with this angry mood and it hasn’t been good since my husband has been killed,” she added about subway violence.
“It’s gotten worse.”
The family marked the grim one-year anniversary by releasing balloons in front of their Crown Heights home Tuesday.
Since Hendeson’s murder, Dockery refuses to ride the train.
“MTA was my best friend. I used to love the MTA. I really, really did,” Dockery said.
“Everybody just seems angry on the MTA now.”
During her year of grief, she started the nonprofit Richard’s Way — an ode to her husband’s passion for helping children — while waiting for police to catch his murderer.
She’s offering a $10,000 cash reward on the whereabouts of Henderson’s killer.
“It makes me upset that the killer is walking around the whole year without even one lead.”
Dockery also urged Big Apple leaders to increase patrols on the train where her husband was killed.
“If they put more focus on the 3 line and the East New York area alone, that would be a great start,” she said.
“I hope it makes a difference.”
