A man was arrested by the police on Sunday for setting a woman on fire while she appeared to be asleep on a New York City subway train, resulting in her tragic death. The incident took place on a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station in Brooklyn around 7:30 a.m. (1230 GMT), according to the New York Police Department.
The victim, who remains unidentified, was sitting motionless when an unknown individual approached her and used a lighter to ignite her clothing. Authorities stated that there was no prior interaction between the victim and the assailant, indicating they were not acquainted.
Upon witnessing the horrifying scene, police officers on patrol at the station quickly responded to the situation. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the harrowing sight at a press conference, noting that the officers encountered a person inside the train car fully engulfed in flames. The officers acted swiftly, employing fire extinguishers to extinguish the fire, though sadly, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders.
Subsequently, law enforcement apprehended a suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed, as he rode the subway later that same day. Investigations are ongoing regarding the victim’s identity and the motive behind the appalling attack.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the city, raising concerns about safety on the subway, a vital mode of transportation for millions of New Yorkers. The New York subway system typically experiences relatively low levels of violent crime, with approximately 4 million trips taken on weekdays.
Statistics from the police department revealed that as of November, there had been a total of nine reported homicides on the subway in 2024, marking an increase from the five reported during the corresponding period in 2023.
This unfortunate event comes in the wake of another recent subway-related case. Earlier this month, a jury acquitted a man named Daniel Penny of criminally negligent homicide in the death of Jordan Neely, a homeless individual known for impersonating Michael Jackson. Neely had been causing disturbance on a subway train, prompting Penny to restrain him in a chokehold, resulting in his tragic demise.
The New York Police Department continues to investigate this latest tragedy, aiming to piece together the events leading up to the fatal attack. The community mourns the loss of the victim and calls for justice to be served as the city grapples with the repercussions of this senseless act of violence.
