Family members and friends of a teacher who died after being pushed down subway stairs in New York City have criticized local officials over criminal justice policies they believe contributed to the incident.

Relatives of the victim, identified as Ross, issued statements blaming city leadership including the mayor, governor, Manhattan District Attorney, and certain city council members for supporting what they characterized as policies that protect violent criminals.

"I blame the self-serving mayor, governor, Manhattan DA and certain members of the city legislature for Ross's death because they support policies that protect violent criminals at the expense of their victims," a family member stated.

The incident has renewed debate over public safety policies in New York City as officials have been highlighting declining murder rates in recent periods. However, some public safety advocates have expressed concern about other crime indicators that they say warrant attention.

The subway system has been a focus of safety discussions in recent years, with various incidents prompting calls for increased security measures and policy changes. City officials have not yet responded publicly to the family's statements regarding the incident.