In a shocking turn of events that has left New York City reeling, a Guatemalan migrant man set a woman on fire while she was sleeping on a subway train in Brooklyn, leading to her death.
The attack occurred early Sunday morning at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station, where the woman, who has not yet been identified, was found engulfed in flames on a stationary F train.
New York City Police Department (NYPD) officials swiftly moved to apprehend the suspect, who was arrested later that day. The assailant, described as a man in his late 20s to early 30s, approached the woman and used a lighter to ignite her clothing. According to police, there was no prior interaction between the victim and the suspect, suggesting the attack was unprovoked.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, addressing the media, described the crime as “one of the most depraved acts one person could possibly commit against another human being.” The suspect remained at the scene, sitting on a bench on the platform, calmly observing the aftermath of his actions until he was taken into custody following a tip from three high school students who recognized him from police images.
