The New York Police Department has arrested a man accused of setting a woman on fire aboard a stationary subway train in Brooklyn, an attack described as “depraved” by Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
The incident occurred on an F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station around 7:30 a.m. local time on Sunday.
According to police, the man approached the woman without prior interaction and used a lighter to ignite her clothing. The victim, whose identity is yet to be confirmed, died at the scene.
Officers patrolling an upper level of the station noticed smoke and rushed to the scene, where they found the woman engulfed in flames inside the train car.
Police Commissioner Tisch explained, “This is one of the most depraved crimes one person could commit against another.”
The suspect initially remained at the station, seated on a bench outside the train car.
Officers responding to the scene obtained a clear description of him, and the NYPD quickly circulated his images.
Later that day, three high school students riding the subway recognized the suspect from the circulated images and alerted authorities.
The students called 911, leading police to locate and arrest the man at the Herald Square station in Manhattan.
Commissioner Tisch praised the students for their swift action, stating, “They saw something, they said something, and they did something. Their courage and responsibility are commendable.”
The suspect, who emigrated from Guatemala to the United States in 2018, was found with a lighter in his possession at the time of his arrest.
Authorities are working to confirm the victim’s identity and the motive behind the attack.
Detectives revealed that surveillance footage showed the victim sitting motionless on the train car before the incident. NYPD’s Joseph Gulotta said it remains unclear if she was asleep at the time, but added, “There was no interaction between the two individuals before or during the attack.”
The brutal nature of the crime has sparked widespread outrage and renewed conversations about subway safety in New York. Commissioner Tisch urged New Yorkers to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities, emphasizing the importance of community collaboration in maintaining public safety.
As investigations continue, the NYPD has assured the public of its commitment to justice for the victim and to preventing similar acts of violence.
