What’s New
A suspect has been arrested in the fatal attack of a sleeping woman who was set on fire Sunday morning on a New York City subway train in Brooklyn. The NYPD offered a $10,000 reward for any information on the murder.
The arrest comes after three high school students spotted the person of interest and alerted authorities, following the release of surveillance images to the public.
Newsweek contacted the NYPD’s public information officer via email on Sunday for comment.
Why It Matters
The attack occurred amid ongoing efforts to improve subway safety in New York City. Governor Kathy Hochul announced plans to deploy hundreds of National Guard members to the transit system and ensure all subway cars have security cameras.
What To Know
NYPD Detective Austin Glickman told CNN the attack occurred around 7:30 a.m. when a man approached the sleeping victim on a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station. The suspect allegedly used a lighter to set the woman’s clothes ablaze, which became fully engulfed within seconds.
Police officers conducting a routine patrol noticed smoke and discovered the victim inside the subway car. Emergency responders pronounced the woman dead at the scene. No other passengers or first responders were injured in the incident.
The suspect was described as 5-foot-6, 150 pounds, approximately 25 to 30 years old, and was seen wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, grey wool hat, paint-splattered pants, and tan boots at the time of the attack.
The person of interest initially remained at the scene, sitting on a bench outside the train car, before leaving the area according to authorities.
He was later apprehended without incident on another train at Herald Square station. Police found a lighter in his pocket at the time of arrest.
What People Are Saying
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said to reporters: “This apprehension was another in what has become a series of joint efforts involving different crimes between the police and the public we serve. In today’s case, we were able to get incredibly clear and detailed images of the suspect from the initial incident.”
What Happens Next
Police are continuing their investigation and working to identify the victim. The incident occurred during a “Code Blue” alert in the city when additional resources and shelter are typically deployed to help those vulnerable to freezing temperatures, including homeless individuals who sometimes seek refuge in the subway system.
The NYPD continues to seek additional information about the incident through their Crime Stoppers hotline, maintaining confidentiality for all tipsters.
