NBC New York’s Erica Byfield reports.
A 15-year-old boy lost an arm in a brutal subway surfing incident late Monday morning as a train pulled away from a platform in Queens, police said.
Police and fire crews rushed to the subway station in Jackson Heights around 10:30 a.m. for reports of a possible amputation. There they found the boy on the platform with his arm severed near his left elbow, according to one MTA worker.
Sources said an R train was pulling out of the underground station when the boy fell, causing the brutal injury. Police later confirmed that witnesses said the boy and three of his friends were making risky maneuvers between train cars. It's unclear what happened to the boy but someone on a train pulling into the station called 911 after they saw the boy on the track, missing part of his arm.
The teenager was transported to Bellevue Hospital and police initially said the child was expected to survive.
Detectives were on scene for much of the day and want to speak with witnesses to help piece together the events that led to the teen's tragic fall. Police say they haven't determined whether any charges will be filed.
Train service was disrupted for a time, with subways either bypassing the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue station or running express. Get real-time transit updates from all your key commute sources right here.
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