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'It's Very Terrifying': Some SEPTA Riders Fear For Safety After 3 Attacks In Last Week

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Concern is mounting about safety on SEPTA. Police are investigating three recent attacks on riders.

SEPTA officials acknowledged three attacks over the past week involving Asian victims on the system, but say there's no indication they were racially motivated.

But riders say they're afraid regardless of age, race, or gender.

Police are searching for these three individuals wanted for attacking two men and a teenage girl on SEPTA.

"It's very disrespectful knowing that these are boys. It's very terrifying because I'm a female myself. I don't have nobody walk with me anywhere," Lyannie Fernandini said.

Officials say last Thursday, at 11th and Market Streets, an Asian man was hit.

On Monday, at Girard Avenue on the Broad Street Line, suspects approached a 17-year-old girl demanding her phone and password. When she refused, one of the suspects put his hands around her neck.

"There's not really a lot of SEPTA cops down there in case something happens, so you gotta rely on a button or you gotta run up the steps," Holly Beattie said.

And on Tuesday, at 63rd Street on the El, an Asian man was slapped in the face.

"It's horrible, but right now, we're at the point where no one thinks about no one else's safety," Dawn Baum said.

Councilmember Helen Gym says there is a need to prioritize public safety in the city as well as on the transit line.

"I think there's more we can do on the call boxes. We're in dialogue with SEPTA about new ambassadors, for example, that can ride the subways," Gym said.

Councilmember David Oh tweeted about poor conditions and a lack of safety on SEPTA, urging city funds to be withheld until SEPTA increases police pay and fills officer shortages.

In a statement, SEPTA says, "crime data is continually analyzed so that officers can be dispatched to hot spots as problems arise. SEPTA has also added security and social outreach specialists to help with these efforts as recruitment for new police officers to join the Transit Police Department continues."

SEPTA is encouraging customers to download the transit watch app, where they can text information directly to SEPTA police.

Of course, if there is an emergency call 911.

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