A man has been taken into custody in New York City in connection with a disturbing incident in which a woman was set on fire aboard a subway train in Brooklyn, resulting in her tragic death. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch condemned the act as one of the most heinous crimes imaginable against a fellow human being.
The flammable incident transpired on a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station. At approximately 7:30 a.m. local time, the woman became a victim when an unidentified man approached her and used a lighter to set her clothing ablaze, leading to flames that engulfed her within seconds. Although responding officers managed to extinguish the fire, the victim succumbed to her injuries at the scene.
Investigators are currently piecing together a motive for this alarming attack, which appears to have come without any prior interaction between the two individuals. The woman, whose identity has not yet been released, was reportedly motionless when the attacker struck, though it remains unclear if she was awake or asleep at the time.
Commissioner Tisch stated that officers on patrol in the station detected smoke emanating from the train and rushed to the scene, where they encountered the horrifying sight of an individual ablaze. Following the attack, the suspect exited the train but remained near the location, sitting on a bench on the platform, which allowed law enforcement to capture detailed images of him via body cameras.
Subsequently, three high school students recognized the suspect on another train and promptly alerted authorities. Officers quickly boarded that train, located him, and took him into custody at Herald Square station, where they discovered a lighter in his possession. The suspect, who emigrated from Guatemala to the United States in 2018, has not been identified publicly.
Commissioner Tisch expressed gratitude for the young bystanders who played a crucial role in reporting the suspect: “They saw something, they said something and they did something,” underscoring the importance of public vigilance in addressing such grievous acts. As the investigation continues, the police strive to uncover the motives behind this shocking incident.
