23-12-2024 (NEW YORK) A woman was killed in what authorities described as a “brutal murder” when a man set her clothes alight aboard a New York subway train early Sunday morning.
The horrific attack occurred around 7:30 a.m. on an F train bound for Stillwell Avenue in Brooklyn, where the assailant approached a motionless woman and, without uttering a word, ignited her clothing with a lighter. Witnesses report the victim was engulfed in flames within seconds.
This scene has left the world in shock
A man set a sleeping woman on fire on the NY subway, then sat and watched her burn to death, occasionally fanning the flames pic.twitter.com/gyhkQwz2Mo
— RT (@RT_com) December 23, 2024
Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials confirmed that surveillance footage captured the entire incident, showing the suspect setting fire to a blanket worn by the victim. The perpetrator then calmly sat on a platform bench, watching as emergency responders arrived at the scene.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch revealed that body-worn cameras provided “a very clear, detailed look” at the alleged killer, who remained at the scene as officers responded. The suspect, identified as a Guatemalan national, was apprehended approximately eight hours later at another Manhattan subway station. Police recovered a lighter from his possession.
In a remarkable turn of events, three teenage New Yorkers recognised the suspect from released body camera images and alerted authorities, leading to his arrest at the 34th Street-Herald Square station. NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta praised the swift response of District Two officers, who successfully contained and arrested the “very dangerous individual.”
Mayor Eric Adams condemned the attack, stating, “This type of depraved behaviour has no place in our subways.” The incident occurred amid heightened security measures, including the recent deployment of 250 additional National Guard members and the installation of security cameras in every subway carriage, as announced by Governor Kathy Hochul.
The identities of both the victim and the suspect remain undisclosed as the investigation continues. Police officials have confirmed that there appears to be no prior connection between the perpetrator and the victim.
This tragic incident marked the second fatality on the New York subway system that day, following an earlier stabbing on a southbound 7 train that left one dead and another injured. Despite official statistics indicating a 10% reduction in subway crime since May, such violent incidents have heightened public concerns about transit safety.
The attack occurred during a “Code Blue” alert, when the city provides additional resources and shelter for vulnerable individuals seeking refuge from freezing temperatures.
Authorities expect to release more details about the incident on Monday morning, with charges against the suspect pending. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been contacted regarding the case.
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