Tragic Subway Incident Highlights Alarming Rise in NYC Transit Violence
A sleeping woman was tragically killed on Dec. 22, when a man threw a lit match at her, setting her clothes on fire while she rested on an F train in Coney Island. The horrific incident occurred just before 7:30 a.m. at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station, where emergency responders found the victim engulfed in flames. Authorities reported that liquor bottles were discovered near her, raising questions about their potential role in the fire, The New York Post reported.
Witnesses described the suspect, believed to be in his 20s, fleeing the scene immediately after the attack. Despite the rapid response of emergency services, officials declared the woman dead on the scene as police managed to extinguish the fire.
“It’s incredible,” said one witness, per The Post.
“I was just walking by. The cops was there already. I didn’t see her in flames but that’s what I heard. It was out,” said an MTA worker. “They shut the lights off [in the car] so nobody could see.”
“That s–t is crazy — it’s only three days until Christmas,” he added. That’s messed up.”
Following the tragic incident, the New York Police Department (NYPD) initiated an investigation and suspended F train service to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fire. This incident is viewed against the backdrop of a concerning rise in violence within New York City’s subway system. Reported killings in the transit system have escalated sharply this year, emphasizing an alarming trend in public safety, The Post reported.
Commuters have expressed alarm regarding the uptick in violent crime within the New York City subway, drawing parallels to crime rates from the 1970s. Regular riders mention frequent reports of muggings and assaults, which have become more common. New York construction manager Alex Gureyev commented on the deteriorating situation, stating, “It’s scary… Everybody keeps saying it’s going back to the seventies.”
“It’s a frequent occurrence — not like this, setting people on fire — but like the mugging, the killings, the fighting, the shootings, they’re really common nowadays. [It’s] very bad,” Gureyev continued.
In addition to this tragic incident, other violent episodes occurred on the same day, including a stabbing of a 69-year-old man on a 7 train and an assault on a train conductor involving a thrown object, The Post reported.
In light of the growing violence, Governor Kathy Hochul has taken action by deploying an additional 250 National Guard troops to the subway system. This decision looks to bolster safety measures for commuters during the busy holiday season. Despite these efforts, data reveals that murders in the subway have surged by at least 60% compared to the prior year, with eight fatalities reported by September 2024 alone, the outlet reported.
With increasing crime and unrest, government officials are grappling with how best to restore safety and give commuters peace of mind. Recent statistics and violence trends indicate the need for robust safety measures to protect individuals in their daily commutes while addressing the broader societal issues contributing to these disturbing incidents.
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