A tragic and horrifying incident unfolded in New York City, where an illegal immigrant, Sebastian Zapeta, 33, was accused of setting a woman on fire while she was sleeping in a subway car at the Coney Island station. Police say Zapeta sat nearby and watched as the flames consumed her. The woman, whose identity has not yet been revealed, did not survive the attack.
Zapeta, originally from Guatemala, has a troubling history with U.S. immigration authorities. He was caught crossing the border into Arizona in 2018 and deported back to Guatemala just a week later. However, by 2023, he had made his way back to the U.S. and listed his address as the Randall’s Island migrant shelter in New York. Despite being in the country illegally, he had no prior criminal record until this shocking crime.
The attack occurred early Sunday morning, around 7:30 a.m., when Zapeta reportedly used a lighter to ignite the woman’s clothing while she slept on the F train. Within minutes, she was engulfed in flames. Transit Police, who were on patrol nearby, noticed smoke coming from the train and rushed to the scene. They managed to extinguish the fire, but it was too late to save her.
In a chilling twist, Zapeta stayed at the scene, sitting calmly on a bench just outside the train car as officers responded. Body cameras worn by the officers captured clear footage of him, which led to his arrest later that day in midtown Manhattan.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the crime “one of the most depraved acts one person could commit against another.” The incident has left the city shaken, with many questioning the safety of the subway system.
This horrifying crime happened just hours after another violent incident on a separate train in Queens. Early Sunday, a group of five people tried to rob a 69-year-old man who was sleeping on the train. When the man woke up, he confronted them, and the situation escalated. In self-defense, he pulled out a knife, stabbing one attacker in the face and fatally stabbing another in the chest. The man was later arrested, though it’s unclear if he will face charges, as his actions might be considered self-defense.
New York’s subway system has seen an alarming rise in violence, with 11 homicides so far this year, surpassing the record of 10 killings in 2022. Despite measures taken by officials, such as deploying National Guard troops and installing cameras in stations, many feel these actions have done little to make the subway truly safer.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul faced criticism for celebrating a drop in subway crime just hours before Sunday’s tragedies. Her social media posts praised her administration’s efforts to improve safety on public transit, but critics, including Democratic strategist Melissa DeRosa and Rep. Ritchie Torres, called her remarks tone-deaf given the violent events of the day.
This string of violence highlights ongoing concerns about public safety in New York City’s transit system and raises questions about the effectiveness of current security measures. For now, the city mourns the loss of an innocent life and grapples with the trauma of these disturbing events.
