Police officials said a man considered a person of interest in Sunday's deadly train fire was in custody hours after allegedly starting the blaze that killed a sleeping woman.
The woman was discovered around 7:30 a.m. on an F train in Coney Island at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station.
Police believe the woman had been sleeping aboard the train when a man approached her and set her on fire by using a lighter to ignite her clothes. Responding officers found the woman standing inside the train car "fully engulfed in flames."
After the fire was extinguished, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
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At a 5 p.m. police press conference, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced the apprehension of the person of interest.
Tisch said the person of interest "carried out one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being."
Investigators believe the suspect stayed at the scene and was seated on a bench directly outside of the train car.
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Three high school-aged New Yorkers called 911 after spotted the alleged suspect on another moving train later in the day Sunday.
Officers boarded the train and located and arrested the person of interest, Tisch said. The man was allegedly found with a lighter in his pocket.
"The depravity of this horrific crime is beyond comprehension, and my office is committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice," Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement. "This gruesome and senseless act of violence against a vulnerable woman will be met with the most serious consequences. Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe on our subways, and we will do everything in our power to ensure accountability in this case. I commend the NYPD for their swift work in apprehending the suspect.”
Following the incident, the MTA said there was no F train service in either direction between Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue and either Church Avenue or Kings Highway.
What's Happening?
— NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) December 22, 2024
FDNY and EMS are responding to someone in need of assistance at Coney Island-Stillwell Av causing disruptions in F service.
Some northbound A/C trains are being rerouted to provide additional service along the line.
