NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of setting a sleeping woman ablaze inside a subway train in New York City is scheduled to face murder and arson charges at his arraignment on Tuesday. Sebastian Zapeta, 33, is set to appear in a Brooklyn court in connection with the death of Debrina Kawam, 57.
According to prosecutors, Zapeta allegedly ignited the victim, a New Jersey native, while the F train was stopped at Brooklyn’s Coney Island station on December 22. They claim that after setting Kawam on fire, Zapeta used a shirt to fan the flames before taking a seat on a station bench to watch her burn.
Authorities allege that Zapeta admitted to police that he was the individual shown in surveillance footage and videos related to the incident. However, he claimed that heavy alcohol consumption had caused him to have no recollection of the events that transpired.
Zapeta, identified as a Guatemalan citizen who reentered the United States illegally following his deportation in 2018, is facing multiple counts of murder along with an arson charge. The most serious charge carries a potential sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Although Zapeta had previously been arraigned based on a criminal complaint, in accordance with New York law, all felony cases must be presented to a grand jury for indictment in order to proceed to trial unless the defendant waives this process. Prosecutors from the office of Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced that Zapeta had been formally indicted in late December.
As of Monday evening, there has been no response from Zapeta’s legal representation to requests for comment.
The gruesome incident has reignited conversations about safety within the largest mass transit system in the country, despite subway-related crimes remaining relatively infrequent. Data released by law enforcement on Monday revealed that transit-related criminal activity had dropped by 5.4% last year compared to the previous year, with an overall 3% decrease in major crimes citywide.
However, during a news briefing discussing these statistics, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch acknowledged that passengers often express feelings of insecurity while utilizing the subway system. In response to these concerns, Tisch announced plans to deploy more than 200 additional officers onto subway trains and increase police presence at the 50 stations identified as having the highest crime rates in the city.
Tisch emphasized the importance of focusing resources where the majority of transit crimes occur, stating, “We know that 78% of transit crime occurs on trains and on platforms, and that is quite obviously where our officers need to be.” She added, “This is just the beginning.”
The upcoming legal proceedings and increased law enforcement efforts underscore the gravity of the tragic event that unfolded in the heart of New York City’s public transportation network, prompting a renewed commitment to ensuring the safety of subway passengers and addressing criminal activity within the system.
