A man has been arrested in connection with the tragic death of a woman who was set on fire aboard a subway train in Brooklyn. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident as “one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being.” According to Tisch, the woman was sitting on a stationary F train when the suspect approached her and used a lighter to ignite her clothes. Unfortunately, the victim died at the scene.
Victim Identified but Motive Remains Unclear
The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, was on the train at Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station at around 7:30 AM. Police confirmed that there was no prior interaction between the two, and they do not believe they knew each other. Therefore, the motive for the attack remains under investigation.
Officers Respond to Smoke
While patrolling the station, officers noticed smoke coming from the train. “Officers were on patrol on an upper level of that station, smelled and saw smoke and went to investigate,” Tisch explained. What they found was a person fully engulfed in flames inside the train car.
Suspect Arrested After Recognition
After the attack, the suspect fled the scene. However, police were able to gather a clear description of him. Later, three high school students recognized the suspect on a different subway train and immediately called 911. As a result, officers were able to locate and arrest the man after boarding the train.
Ongoing Investigation
Detectives are still working to determine whether the victim was asleep when the fire started. NYPD’s Joseph Gulotta said, “She’s definitely there, she’s motionless. So to say if she’s asleep or not, we’re not 100% sure, but it appears that she’s motionless at that spot.” There was no interaction between the victim and the attacker before or during the incident, and the investigation continues.