An MTA employee was attacked at the Utica Avenue subway station early Tuesday morning.

Police say it happened on the northbound platform of the 3 and 4 trains around 1 a.m.

News 12 is told the train operator was standing on the platform when he got into some sort of argument with a man. The argument escalated, and the man punched the train operator in the face, police say.

He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Investigators say the suspect was last seen running out of the station.

In a statement, the MTA Chief Communications Officer says, "assaults on our workers are reprehensible and we won't stand for it. We are working closely with law enforcement partners to hold those responsible for this criminal behavior accoutable to fullest extent of the law."

Anyone with information is asked to call police.