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(TJV NEWS) In a shocking and horrific incident reported by The New York Post, a sleeping subway rider was burned to death early Sunday morning on an F train in Coney Island. The victim, a woman whose identity has yet to be released, was set ablaze after a man threw a lit match onto her, causing her to be engulfed in flames while she sat idly on the train.
According to the report in The New York Post, NYPD officers responded to reports of a fire just before 7:30 a.m. at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station. What they discovered was a deeply disturbing scene: the woman still seated on the idling train, her body consumed by flames. Police and emergency services attempted to intervene, but tragically, EMS declared her dead at the scene.
In the above-uncensored video, the deranged killer is seen sitting on a subway station bench watching the victim burn to death, the police officer mistakenly passes by the maniac, and the illegal migrant suspected killer calmly walks away, while the individual filming the horror is stunned as he narrates the scene
The New York Post reported that liquor bottles were found surrounding the woman, but investigators remain uncertain whether they played any role in the fire. Sources told The Post that the attack appeared sudden and deliberate. The suspect, believed to be a man in his 20s, was reportedly sitting across from the woman before walking past her and tossing a lit match onto her body.
After setting the woman on fire, the suspect fled the station, disappearing before authorities arrived. As of Sunday afternoon, The New York Post reported that a migrant from Guatemala had been arrested on allegations he lit the sleeping woman on fire.
Police sources say a civilian identified the suspected killer as he rode on a train at 34th Street in Manhattan. The witness waved down the cops, who later picked the suspect up and detained him.
NYC: Homicide unit investigation is underway after a woman died after being engulfed in flames on NYC Subway this morning.
Reported around 7:29 am, a woman was found on fire on an F Train Subway Car at the Coney Island – Stillwell Train Station, according to police.
Video by… pic.twitter.com/XUDokKNGAO
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) December 22, 2024
He has not been charged with a crime yet, sources added.
According to the information provided in The New York Post report, the suspect entered the country in Arizona and was detained by border patrol agents in June 2018 — and so far authorities have not found a past criminal record for him in New York City, law enforcement sources said.
Authorities were still working to confirm whether he is in the country legally, the sources said.
Service on the F train was suspended well into the afternoon as police combed through the crime scene, meticulously gathering evidence and piecing together the details of this horrific act.
The gruesome aftermath deeply affected commuters and transit workers alike. According to The New York Post, horrified onlookers watched as the woman’s remains were wheeled out of the station in a black body bag around 1 p.m.
One Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) worker described the grim scene to The New York Post, stating that it appeared as though the victim’s clothes had been completely burned away. He recounted walking past the area after authorities had already extinguished the fire and secured the scene.
🚨 #BREAKING: The man arrested for setting a sleeping woman on fire in the NYC subway is a Guatemalan migrant.
He lit the woman on fire and watched her burn to de*th inside a Coney Island F train.
Source: New York Post pic.twitter.com/fjY4Nc2PYm
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 22, 2024
“I was just walking by. The cops were there already. I didn’t see her in flames, but that’s what I heard. It was out. They shut the lights off [in the car] so nobody could see,” the worker shared.
The shocking incident occurred just days before Christmas, adding an even heavier layer of tragedy to the situation. One witness, visibly shaken, expressed disbelief to The New York Post: “That s–t is crazy — it’s only three days until Christmas. That’s messed up.”
As commuters continued transferring trains at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station, many paused to take in the grim aftermath of the scene. The atmosphere was heavy with fear and disbelief.
Speaking with The New York Post, Alex Gureyev, a 39-year-old construction manager from Brooklyn, voiced concerns shared by many New Yorkers about the city’s escalating violence.
“It’s scary. It’s going downhill a bit. Everybody keeps saying it’s going back to the seventies. It’s a frequent occurrence — not like this, setting people on fire — but the mugging, the killings, the fighting, the shootings, they’re really common nowadays. [It’s] very bad.”
Outrage in the U.S. after an illegal migrant from Guatemala set a sleeping woman on fire on the F train in New York City.
Sebastian Zapeta was arrested at the scene.
The murder happened on the same train line where the Daniel Penny-Jordan Neely incident took place. pic.twitter.com/I9TLAsk0Q0
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) December 22, 2024
This sentiment reflects the growing unease among residents who rely on the subway as a primary mode of transportation. While violent incidents on public transit are not new, the sheer brutality and randomness of this attack have left many deeply unsettled.
The attack has reignited conversations about public safety on New York City’s subway system, an issue that has become increasingly politicized and fraught with debate. As The New York Post has reported in recent months, concerns over rising crime rates, homelessness, and safety in the transit system have become central issues for both commuters and policymakers.
🚨Sebastian Zapeta, suspect accused of lighting a woman on fire, killing her, while she slept on a Stillwell Avenue F train this a.m., has been arrested.
People walked on by. Not one person stopped to help her.
The Daniel Penny trial sent a strong message:
“Don’t be a hero.” pic.twitter.com/Yk8ckDAHCT
— .*Funkytown™*. (@01Funkytown) December 22, 2024
The New York Police Department (NYPD) has been working to increase patrols and visibility in subway stations, but random and heinous acts of violence like this one continue to slip through the cracks. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for stronger safety measures, both in terms of preventing violent crime and addressing the systemic issues contributing to such tragedies.
In the wake of a series of violent incidents across New York City’s subway system, The New York Post reported that Governor Kathy Hochul has deployed an additional 250 National Guard troops into the transit network for the holiday season and beyond. This increase brings the total New York Army National Guard deployment to 1,000 troops, a costly initiative with a $100 million budget aimed at combating crime and ensuring commuter safety in one of the world’s busiest public transit systems.
According to the information provided in The New York Post report, over eight million visitors are expected in New York City during the holiday season, intensifying the need for heightened security. Despite these efforts, violent crime persists, and incidents such as the horrifying F train attack in Coney Island serve as grim reminders of the ongoing vulnerabilities within the subway system.
A woman was set on fire on an F train this morning. https://t.co/5IN6ud5rSl
— Jack Raines (@Jack_Raines) December 22, 2024
The New York Post report highlighted Governor Hochul’s insistence that her initial March deployment of National Guard troops into the subway system has yielded positive results, pointing to a 10% drop in overall transit crime. However, this decrease masks more troubling statistics.
Despite this reported drop, subway murders surged by at least 60% this year, according to NYPD data collected in September. As of September 8th, eight people had been murdered in subway stations or cars, up from five during the same period in 2023.
The data shared with The New York Post reveals a troubling paradox: while certain crime categories have seen reductions, the most severe and violent crimes remain stubbornly persistent—and, in some cases, are escalating.
The F train attack in Coney Island was not an isolated incident but part of a violent 24-hour stretch across New York City’s transit system. As was reported by The New York Post, additional incidents underscored the fragile state of safety in the subways:
Just after midnight on Sunday, an argument erupted among five men aboard a southbound 7 train near Woodside Avenue and 61st Street in Queens. During the altercation, a 69-year-old man stabbed one person in the chest and another in the face. Tragically, the man stabbed in the chest died at the hospital, while the suspect was taken into custody and awaited charges.
The New York Post reported that police were still piecing together the details surrounding the deadly altercation.
At approximately 4:30 a.m., another violent incident unfolded aboard a northbound D train. A passenger became irate and hurled a can at a conductor, striking the 38-year-old transit worker. The conductor was promptly taken to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. The suspect in this case remains at large, with no arrest reported, according to The New York Post.
These events highlight the unpredictable nature of subway violence, where disputes can escalate into fatal confrontations and transit workers themselves face serious risks while performing their duties.
While National Guard deployments aim to reassure commuters and maintain order, The New York Post report suggested that their presence may have limited effectiveness in addressing the root causes of subway crime. Governor Hochul’s reliance on military-style interventions has drawn mixed reactions from New Yorkers, with some applauding the visibility of armed personnel and others questioning whether the approach addresses underlying societal and infrastructural issues fueling violence.
Transit experts cited by The New York Post argue that the subway system requires more comprehensive strategies, including Increased mental health outreach for vulnerable individuals in subway stations as well as enhanced surveillance technology to identify and respond to incidents faster. Better support and protection for transit workers, who remain on the frontlines of this crisis is yet another strategy.
The string of violent events comes at a time when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is grappling with financial pressures, aging infrastructure, and increasing concerns from commuters about safety and reliability.
In interviews reported by The New York Post, commuters and transit workers alike have voiced deep frustrations and fears about the current state of New York’s subway system. The rise in random attacks, deadly altercations, and assaults on transit staff reflects not only a security failure but also broader societal challenges that cannot be addressed through security measures alone.
The New York Post report highlighted that the root causes of subway violence remain unresolved. Addressing the crisis will require more than visible security patrols; it will necessitate investment in mental health services for at-risk populations, clearer collaboration between law enforcement agencies and social services and enhanced training and support systems for transit staff to respond to crises safely.
