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2024 New York City Subway immolation

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Coordinates: 40°34′38″N 73°58′52″W / 40.57722°N 73.98111°W / 40.57722; -73.98111
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2024 New York City Subway immolation
Pag is on an island.
Pag is on an island.
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Location of the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station relative to New York City
Location of the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station relative to New York City
LocationConey Island-Stillwell Avenue station, Brooklyn, New York
Coordinates40°34′38″N 73°58′52″W / 40.57722°N 73.98111°W / 40.57722; -73.98111
DateDecember 22, 2024
c. 7:30 a.m. EST
Attack type
Targeted immolation
WeaponLighter
Deaths1
AccusedSebastian Zapeta-Calil
Charges
  • First-degree murder (1 count)[1]
  • Second-degree murder (1 count)
  • First-degree arson (1 count)

On the morning of December 22, 2024, a woman was immolated on the New York City Subway while an F train was stopped at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn. The suspect, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala identified as Sebastian Zapeta-Calil,[2][3] was arrested in connection to the killing.

The immolation was determined to have been a random attack, and authorities were still working to identify the victim as of December 25. The incident has led to heightened concerns relating to safety while using transportation in New York City.

Incident

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At approximately 7:30 a.m. EST on December 22, 2024,[4][5] on a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station, a man approached the only other passenger on the train car, a woman,[6] using a lighter to set fire to her clothing. The victim became engulfed in flames in a matter of seconds.[7][8]

After carrying out the attack, the perpetrator got off the train car but remained at the scene. A video taken by a bystander shows a man, later identified as Zapeta-Calil, sitting on a nearby bench watching the fire before standing up and appearing to fan the flames using a T-shirt.[9]

Body cameras worn by officers responding to the scene captured him on a bench opposite the car. He was not immediately identified as the suspected perpetrator, however, and was able to leave the scene. Images from the video were later circulated to identify him. A Metropolitan Transportation Authority worker used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire,[10] but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:48 a.m.[11][7][12]

Zapeta-Calil was arrested at Herald Square station after three high school students recognized him on another subway train and called 911.[13][14][15][4] At the time of his arrest, he was found possessing a lighter.[16][17]

As of December 24, police were still working to identify the victim.[18][19][20] Authorities have described her as homeless.[12] The victim was falsely identified as Amelia Carter online, with AI-generated images accompanying her name.[21][22] In an autopsy carried out on the victim, a medical examiner determined that the victim's cause of death was heat-related burns as well as smoke inhalation.[23]

Suspect

[edit]
Sebastian Zapeta-Calil
Born1991-1992
NationalityGuatemalan
Known for2024 New York City Subway immolation
MotiveUnprovoked
Details
Victims1
DateDecember 22, 2024
WeaponLighter and match

The primary suspect was identified as 33-year-old Guatemalan[2] Sebastian Zapeta-Calil,[24][25] who illegally immigrated to the United States after being extradited in 2018 as a result of attempting to enter through the Arizona-Mexico border.[26][3] It is unknown how long Zapeta-Calil has been in the United States.[25]

Shortly after the incident, Zapeta-Calil was arrested and formally charged with first-degree and second-degree murder with an additional arson charge.[27] Zapeta-Calil was also transferred to a hospital late on December 23 but was released the following day.[23] Authorities said that the suspect and the woman were unrelated and that the attack was likely unprovoked.[28][29][30] On December 24, Zapeta-Calil was arraigned and entered no plea.[31][8][32] During the arraignment, the prosecutor stated that Zapeta-Calil had told police he had been drinking heavily and didn't remember what had happened.[31]

Reactions

[edit]

New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated, via X, that "This type of depraved behavior has no place in our subways and we are committed to working hard to ensure there is swift justice for all victims of violent crime".[33] He thanked the bystanders who reported the suspect to the police.[34] Commissioner for the New York Police Department Jessica Tisch stated that the immolation was "one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being."[35] Tom Homan, who was the incoming border czar at the time of the attack, criticized Eric Adams and Kathy Hochul, governor of New York, for making New York City a "sanctuary for illegal immigrants."[36]

Eric Gonzalez, the Brooklyn District Attorney, stated, "This gruesome and senseless act of violence against a vulnerable woman will be met with the most serious consequences."[37]

Many people online expressed outrage at the several New York City Police Department officers who stood outside of the train and watched as the victim burned.[38]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bellware, Kim; Ferguson, Amber (December 22, 2024). "Man charged with murder after setting a woman on fire on NYC subway, authorities say". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via MSN.
  2. ^ a b "Man accused of fatally burning woman on subway waives appearance, will return to court Jan. 7". ABC News. Retrieved December 27, 2024. Zapeta is an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala
  3. ^ a b "What we know about the suspect charged with murder and arson for allegedly setting woman on fire in New York subway". CNN. December 24, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024. the 33-year-old undocumented migrant
  4. ^ a b "New York: Man charged with murder after woman set on fire on subway". BBC. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  5. ^ Art, Pop Culture & (December 24, 2024). "Video emerges of Guatemalan immigrant's drunken rant before setting woman on fire at NYC subway". The Express Tribune. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  6. ^ Levenson, Eric; Park, Hannah; Mascarenhas, Lauren; Winter, Jeff; Pazmino, Gloria (December 22, 2024). "Suspect charged with murder, arson for allegedly setting woman on fire and killing her on a NYC subway car". CNN. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Man charged with murder after woman set ablaze on New York City subway train". USA TODAY. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via MSN.
  8. ^ a b "Man Arraigned on Murder Charges in NYC Subway Death Fanned Flames With a Shirt, Prosecutors Say". U.S. News & World Report. Associated Press. December 24, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  9. ^ "NYC subway horror: Suspect Sabastian Zapeta has 'no memory of the attack'". Times of India. December 23, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via MSN.
  10. ^ "Woman Dies After Being Set on Fire in Subway Car, Police Say". The New York Times. December 22, 2024. Archived from the original on December 23, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  11. ^ "What to know about the death of a woman who was set on fire in a New York City subway train". ABC News. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "NYC Subway Fire: What We Know About the Fatal Burning of a Woman". The New York Times. December 24, 2024.
  13. ^ Press, Associated (December 23, 2024). "What to know about the death of a woman who was set on fire in a New York City subway train". Star Tribune. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  14. ^ "Who is Sebastian Zapeta? Guatemala migrant arrested for setting woman on fire on New York City subway". The Times of India. December 23, 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  15. ^ Press • •, Associated (December 23, 2024). "Suspect charged with murder, arson in death of woman set on fire in NYC subway train". NBC New York. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  16. ^ Haigh, Susan (December 23, 2024). "New York City police working to ID woman set ablaze in subway". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  17. ^ "What to Know About the Death of a Woman Who Was Set on Fire in a New York City Subway Train". US News. December 23, 2024. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  18. ^ Izaguirre, Anthony (December 23, 2024). "Man faces murder charges in the death of a woman who was lit on fire in New York City subway". KSTP 5. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  19. ^ "Man faces murder charges in the death of a woman who was lit on fire in New York City subway". WTOP News. December 24, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  20. ^ "New York City police investigate the death of a woman found on fire in subway car". WCTS. December 22, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  21. ^ McFall, Marni Rose (December 24, 2024). "Who Is Amelia Carter? Fake Identity of NYC Subway Fire Victim Goes Viral". Newsweek. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  22. ^ "Who is Amelia Carter? Is she really the victim of the NYC subway horror?". The Times of India. December 24, 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  23. ^ a b Park, Hannah (December 24, 2024). "Suspect in fatal New York subway burning of passenger arraigned in court". CNN. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via MSN.
  24. ^ "Man charged in woman's burning death on NYC subway was deported from U.S. in 2018". NBC News. December 23, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  25. ^ a b "Man charged with murder in death of woman set ablaze on subway train in New York City". ABC6 Philadelphia. December 23, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  26. ^ "Who is Sebastian Zapeta? Suspect behind NYC subway fire attack arrested". The Economic Times. December 23, 2024. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  27. ^ "Man charged in woman's burning death on NYC subway was deported from U.S. in 2018". NBC News. December 23, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  28. ^ Stallone, Michael (December 23, 2024). "Woman dies after being set on fire in NYC subway train; suspect charged". FOX 5 NY. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  29. ^ "Man faces murder charges in the death of a woman who was lit on fire in New York City subway". AP News. December 23, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  30. ^ "Suspect charged in deadly NYC subway fire attack". KFSM. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via MSN.
  31. ^ a b Attanasio, Cedar (December 24, 2024). "Man accused in the burning death of a woman on a New York subway awaits arraignment". Associated Press. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via MSN.
  32. ^ "What to know about the death of a woman who was set on fire in a New York City subway train". NBC10 Philadelphia. December 24, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  33. ^ "Suspect charged with murder, arson for allegedly setting woman on fire and killing her on a NYC subway car". CNN. December 22, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  34. ^ Bedigan, Mike; Hawkinson, Katie; Lubin, Rhian (December 24, 2024). "Authorities reportedly struggling to identify woman set ablaze on New York subway 'due to severity of burns'". The Independent. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  35. ^ "GRAPHIC: New Footage Shows Illegal Alien Fanning Flames as Woman Burned Alive on Subway — NYPD Officer Walks Past Without Intervening | Lou Dobbs". Lou Dobbs. December 23, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  36. ^ Smith, Benedict; Cleave, Iona (December 23, 2024). "Trump's 'border tsar' attacks New York governor after woman burned alive on subway". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  37. ^ Reinstein, Julia; Katersky, Aaron; Crudele, Mark; Barr, Luke; Deliso, Meredith (December 23, 2024). "'Depravity': Undocumented migrant charged with fatally burning woman on subway". ABC News. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  38. ^ "Did an NYPD officer walk by NYC subway horror victim? Social media furious with 'how did this happen' question". The Times of India. December 24, 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
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