A commuter was killed after being pushed onto the tracks in front of a subway in New York

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Members of the New York City police (NYPD) work at the scene after a commuter was pushed in front of a subway train as it arrived at Times Square station in New York City, U.S., November 7, 2016.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York police arrested a woman accused of pushing an unsuspecting commuter in front of a subway train as it arrived at a busy Times Square train platform on Monday, killing the victim as bystanders watched in horror.

The 49-year-old victim was shoved onto the tracks of a southbound No. 1 train at about 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT) and pronounced dead on the scene shortly afterward, a police spokeswoman said.

About three dozen police and other emergency officials responded to the incident at the subway station in midtown Manhattan at the intersection of Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street, one of New York's busiest transit stops.

The victim was standing on a train platform when the 30-year-old suspect, wearing a pink shirt and scarf, lunged at her, the New York Post reported, citing witnesses. The suspect was arrested at the scene.

It was not immediately clear whether the suspect knew the victim, who police did not identify. Authorities told ABC News that the suspect had a history of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The suspect claimed to police that she pushed another passenger onto the tracks at Union Square, a busy interchange station in Manhattan in October, sources told PIX11's Myles Miller.

"It's a horrible incident, and your heart goes out to this family and this victim," NYPD Transit Chief William Aubry told ABC. "And also to the other people who were on that platform.

Last year a woman was convicted and sentenced to 24 years imprisonment for fatally pushing a man into the path of an oncoming New York subway train in 2012.

Here's some images from the scene:

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Members of the New York City police (NYPD) work at the scene after a commuter was pushed in front of a subway train as it arrived at Times Square station in New York City, U.S., November 7, 2016.

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Members of the New York City police (NYPD) and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) work at the scene after a commuter was pushed in front of a subway train as it arrived at Times Square station in New York City, U.S., November 7, 2016.

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Members of the New York City police (NYPD) work at the scene after a commuter was pushed in front of a subway train as it arrived at Times Square station in New York City, U.S., November 7, 2016.

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Members of the New York City police (NYPD) work at the scene after a commuter was pushed in front of a subway train as it arrived at Times Square in New York City, U.S., November 7, 2016.

(Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Andrew Hay)