Former TikTok executive Gideon Moncrieffe has filed a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) after being violently attacked on a Brooklyn subway. The May 10, 2023, incident left Moncrieffe with severe injuries and lasting emotional trauma.
Moncrieffe says the attack happened while he was riding a southbound C train and stepped in to defuse an argument between Sean Lewis and another passenger. Despite Moncrieffe’s efforts to calm the situation, Lewis suddenly attacked him with a sharp object, leaving an eight-inch wound that required over 100 stitches.
The lawsuit alleges that the MTA’s negligence contributed to the assault. Moncrieffe claims the train conductor locked the doors during the altercation, trapping him with Lewis and preventing any chance of escape. He argues that the attack was a foreseeable outcome of the agency’s failure to enforce safety protocols and respond to emergencies.
Sean Lewis, who had a long history of violent arrests, pleaded guilty to the attack in August and received a seven-year prison sentence. The MTA has denied claims that Lewis was banned from the subway at the time of the incident, stating he was not under any active prohibition.
Moncrieffe, who worked as TikTok’s head of global event production at the time, says the trauma from the attack has left him with PTSD, depression and nightmares. He also revealed that the assault caused his engagement to fall apart, further compounding the emotional toll of the incident.
The lawsuit seeks damages and calls for urgent reforms to improve passenger safety on New York City’s transit system. Moncrieffe has demanded consistent enforcement of prohibited rider policies, more security personnel and better emergency response protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.
