WILD WEST IN NYC

Mugging victim: Vigilante saved me, but I wish he hadn’t fired gun

The straphanger threatened by a homeless mugger says the subway vigilante who saved her was a “hero” — but she regrets he resorted to firing a pistol to thwart the robbery. The 40-year-old woman told The Post of feeling “pure terror” during the encounter.

The woman threatened by a homeless would-be mugger considers subway vigilante John Rote a “hero” — but wishes he tried to help without firing a gun in the station.

Speaking to The Post via phone Friday, the 40-year-old woman, who did not want her name revealed, recalled the “pure terror” she felt during Tuesday’s ordeal in the city’s subway system she believes has become increasingly unsafe for riders.

One reason for the sketchy conditions underground, she said, is the lack of serious punishments for repeat offenders — such as the man who tried to rob her — who hang out at subway stations.

The woman’s nightmarish scenario unfolded when while trying to head back to her Queens home, she encountered Matthew Roesch, a homeless 49-year-old, who was allegedly harassing her for money after he held the emergency gate open at the 49th Street station near Times Square, she recalled.

When she tried to walk through, he blocked her way and demanded money, according to court documents.

“I said I’m not going to give him any money and kept walking. He followed me. He kept demanding money, and he said, ‘If you don’t give me money, I’m going to take your bag.’ I was trying to walk away from him, but he was following me and getting very close.”

Hid in a closet

Roesch — known to police for frequently pulling the scheme — allegedly made moves to snatch her bag when John Rote, 43, whipped out the firearm and allegedly fired several rounds across the station while warning the would-be mugger to leave the woman alone.

“Of course I am happy that that man tried to help me and that nobody was injured during this incident, but it’s scary to think that people are carrying guns around the city. I understand why people do it, they see it as their only means of protection,” she said.

Rote was seen in surveillance footage casually pulling the handgun from his bag and aiming it at the scuffle before shouting: “Get the f-–k away from her!”

“It all happened within seconds. It didn’t faze the homeless man. He continued to say, ‘Give me money. Give me money,’ ” the woman said.

Roesch finally stalled, giving the woman the chance to run away.

As about 40 others in the station scattered, she found safety inside an MTA maintenance room after a worker opened the door to check out the chaos.

He pushed a large metal cabinet against the door, preventing the gunman or the would-be mugger from following them inside.

“I was terrified, I was feeling fear, panic. I was ready for anything, to fight for my life in any way. The gun was pointed in my direction, and that’s all I saw. It was a feeling of pure terror that I don’t wish on anyone.”

Roesch was arrested after police arrived within minutes and was charged with attempted robbery, but Rote was able to flee before he could be cuffed. Rote — who has no prior arrests — was arrested at his Manhattan job the following day after an anonymous tipster recognized him from the policeleaked footage.

Blaming MTA & NYPD

He allegedly admitted to the shooting and told cops he ditched the gun in the East River. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, reckless endangerment and menacing, cops said.

Rote was ordered held on $10,000 bail at the request of prosecutors Thursday night. Since then, he posted bail, according to online records. He returned Friday morning to his Astoria home and apparently struggled to get inside.

Rote declined to answer questions, saying, “It’s not personal. I don’t have a comment.”

Law-enforcement sources said they don’t think Rote was aiming at the vagrant and was just trying to scare him off.

The woman slammed the MTA and NYPD, accusing them of doing little to prevent such chaos inside the subways. She said the incident was the second of two unsettling encounters with homeless people at the 49th Street platform in just one day — her morning started with another man openly masturbating on a bench.