A heartbreaking and shocking story unfolded in New York City early Sunday morning. Police announced they’ve detained a “person of interest” in the horrifying death of a woman on a subway train. Authorities believe the woman may have been asleep on a parked subway car when a man, who didn’t know her, intentionally set her clothes on fire.
The man was caught thanks to a group of three high school students who recognized him from widely shared images taken from subway surveillance and police body cameras. Their quick thinking helped officers track him down. “New Yorkers came through again,” said Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, calling the crime “one of the most depraved acts one human can commit against another.”
According to Tisch, the woman and the suspect had no prior connection. Both were riding the same train to its final stop at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn around 7:30 a.m. Surveillance footage revealed the man calmly walking up to the woman, who appeared to be sleeping in her seat. He then used a lighter to ignite her clothing. In just seconds, the fire engulfed her.
Officers patrolling the station discovered the woman, who was still on fire, standing in the middle of the subway car. They extinguished the flames, but sadly, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Unbelievably, the suspect stayed nearby, sitting on a bench on the platform outside the train. Officers’ body cameras captured clear images of him, which were quickly shared with the public.
Later, a 911 call from the teenagers who recognized the suspect led officers to find him on another subway train. They kept the train doors shut at the next station and searched each car until they apprehended him without incident. A lighter was found in his pocket.
Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta said investigators are still working to determine if the woman was homeless and to learn more about the suspect’s background.
This tragedy wasn’t the only one on New York City’s subways that day. Earlier, around 12:35 a.m., police responded to a violent incident at the 61st Street-Woodside station in Queens. A 37-year-old man was found with a stab wound to his torso, and a 26-year-old man had multiple slash wounds. The older man died at a nearby hospital, while the younger man is in stable condition. Police are still investigating.
The incidents highlight the ongoing challenges of safety on the subway system. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has already deployed members of the National Guard to assist police in conducting random bag searches for weapons. During the holiday season, more guards have been added to patrol the subways.
Efforts to improve subway safety also include installing video cameras on every subway car, a project Governor Hochul supported last year. Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chief Security Officer Michael Kemper credited these cameras with helping track down the Brooklyn suspect so quickly.
The events of Sunday serve as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and the power of community action, as New Yorkers stepped up to help bring justice in a deeply troubling case.
