New York City, NY– In a shocking incident early Sunday morning, a woman resting on a subway car in New York City was tragically set on fire by a stranger. The assailant approached her and ignited her clothing with a lighter, resulting in her being engulfed in flames and ultimately leading to her death.
The perpetrator then walked away, observing the horrific scene from the platform, while law enforcement officials remained unaware of the unfolding tragedy.
On Sunday evening, the New York Police Department held a press conference to reveal that a suspect, lacking any known association with the unidentified victim, was apprehended. This followed a group of teenagers from New York who recognized him on the subway later that day and alerted the authorities.
A search operation was launched for the individual, with images circulated showing him on the F train, where the incident involving the woman occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, as reported by NYPD officials. Officials reported that he was apprehended on “another moving train” at Herald Square in midtown Manhattan.
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“Our person of interest and victim were both riding an F train to the end of the line at Stillwell Avenue in Brooklyn,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters. “As the train pulled into the station, the suspect calmly walked up to the victim, who was in a seated position at the end of a subway car. The suspect used what we believe to be a lighter to ignite the victim’s clothing, which became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds.”
The individual allegedly employed what appears to be a lighter to set the victim’s clothing ablaze, which was completely consumed by flames within seconds.
Disturbing video recorded by bystanders and acquired by the New York Post reveals the incident as it happened. Responding to the smell of smoke at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station, officers quickly extinguished the fire. Unfortunately, they were unable to save the woman, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Tisch along with other police and MTA officials characterized the incident as “atrocious” and “pointless.”
Authorities utilized the body cameras of the responding officers to capture photos and clear images of the suspect, which were subsequently shared online via NYPD Crime Stoppers and local media channels. According to MTA Security Chief Michael Kemper, the collaboration between the MTA and NYPD led to the apprehension of the suspect.
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Authorities have not disclosed the suspect’s identity, but on Sunday afternoon, they announced they are looking for an individual estimated to be between 25 and 30 years old.
NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta stated, “We don’t believe they knew each other.”
Authorities announced that additional details regarding both the victim and the suspect will be shared in the upcoming days as they persist in their inquiry into the events that transpired and the connection between the two individuals.