Man Arrested for Allegedly Setting Woman on Fire in NYC Subway, Resulting in Her Death – One America News Network
OAN Staff Blake Wolf
9:45 AM – Monday, December 23, 2024
New York City authorities have made an arrest in connection with the alleged arson of a sleeping woman in a subway car, which resulted in her death.
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Disturbing video reveals the suspect watching the woman as she was engulfed in flames while the train remained motionless at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station around 7:30 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Reportedly, the suspect maliciously set the unidentified woman alight while she slept before escaping the scene; he was later captured, as per NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Emergency services arrived shortly thereafter and declared the woman deceased onboard the train, according to police reports.
“I want to emphasize that this arrest is part of a continuing series of collaborative efforts between police and the public we serve,” Tisch noted, adding that three high school students played a crucial role by spotting the suspect and alerting 911, which led to his capture.
“In this instance, we obtained remarkably clear images of the suspect from the initial event and requested media assistance in disseminating them widely, leveraging the public as a powerful ally—New Yorkers came through once again,” she added, explaining that the suspect was found with a lighter in his possession.
“Unbeknownst to the responding officers, the suspect lingered at the scene, sitting on a bench on the platform just outside the train car, and the body-worn camera footage provided an explicit look at the perpetrator,” Tisch explained.
“This exemplifies the outstanding cooperation between the public and police forces. Once again, a civilian saw something significant, and we utilized technology in numerous manners to swiftly effectuate an arrest for this abhorrent crime committed in our subway system,” stated NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta.
Officers first came upon the scene during a routine patrol at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station in Brooklyn, quickly extinguishing the fire before EMS arrived.
“It appeared as though all her clothing had burned away,” recounted one MTA worker to the New York Post. “I just walked past; the cops were already there. I didn’t see the flames, but that’s what I heard. They turned off the lights [in the car] to obscure the view.”
“This is absolutely insane—just three days before Christmas,” he added. “That’s really disturbing.”
This extreme act of violence occurs amidst New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s (D-N.Y.) assertions that assigning more National Guard personnel to the subway system has reduced transit crime, despite a reported 60% increase in subway homicides this year.
“The situation is deteriorating a bit,” remarked Alex Gureyev, a 39-year-old New Yorker who witnessed the incident, according to the New York Post.
“Everyone keeps saying it’s reminiscent of the seventies. It’s become a frequent occurrence—not to this extent, like setting someone on fire—but the muggings, killings, fights, and shootings are indeed common these days. It’s very troubling,” he continued.
Data from the New York Police Department indicated that a total of eight individuals have lost their lives on subway cars or at stations as of September 8th, a rise from just five during the same period the prior year.
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