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Woman dies after being set on fire on NYC subway | Woman dies after being set on fire on NYC subway |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Police were called to Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station in Brooklyn after a woman on a subway car was set on fire | Police were called to Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station in Brooklyn after a woman on a subway car was set on fire |
A man has been arrested in New York in connection with the death of a woman who was set on fire on a subway train in Brooklyn. | A man has been arrested in New York in connection with the death of a woman who was set on fire on a subway train in Brooklyn. |
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident on Sunday as "one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being". | Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident on Sunday as "one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being". |
She said the woman was on a stationary F train to Brooklyn when she was approached by a man who used a lighter to ignite her clothing. | She said the woman was on a stationary F train to Brooklyn when she was approached by a man who used a lighter to ignite her clothing. |
The victim died at the scene, she said, adding that the suspect had been arrested following a tip-off from a group of high school students as he rode the subway later on Sunday. | The victim died at the scene, she said, adding that the suspect had been arrested following a tip-off from a group of high school students as he rode the subway later on Sunday. |
Police said the woman, who has not been named, was in a subway carriage at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn at about 07:30 local time (12:30 GMT) when a man approached her. | Police said the woman, who has not been named, was in a subway carriage at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn at about 07:30 local time (12:30 GMT) when a man approached her. |
Officers said she was "motionless" when she was set on fire, but detectives were still establishing whether the victim was asleep. | |
There was no interaction before the attack, police said, adding that they did not believe the two people knew each other. | There was no interaction before the attack, police said, adding that they did not believe the two people knew each other. |
The man got off the train as police officers on patrol in the station rushed to the fire. | The man got off the train as police officers on patrol in the station rushed to the fire. |
"Officers were on patrol on an upper level of that station, smelled and saw smoke and went to investigate," Ms Tisch said. | "Officers were on patrol on an upper level of that station, smelled and saw smoke and went to investigate," Ms Tisch said. |
"What they saw was a person standing inside the train car fully engulfed in flames." | "What they saw was a person standing inside the train car fully engulfed in flames." |
Police are still working to identify the victim and the motive for the attack. | Police are still working to identify the victim and the motive for the attack. |
Officers responded with fire extinguishers, but the victim died at the scene | Officers responded with fire extinguishers, but the victim died at the scene |
"Unbeknownst to the officers who responded, the suspect had stayed on the scene and was seated on a bench on the platform just outside the train car," Ms Tisch added. | "Unbeknownst to the officers who responded, the suspect had stayed on the scene and was seated on a bench on the platform just outside the train car," Ms Tisch added. |
She explained police were then able to get a "very clear, detailed" look at the man from the responding officers' body worn cameras. | |
The images were disseminated by the New York Police Department (NYPD). | |
Later, three high school-aged New Yorkers called 911 to report they recognised the suspect on another train, Ms Tisch told reporters. | Later, three high school-aged New Yorkers called 911 to report they recognised the suspect on another train, Ms Tisch told reporters. |
The man was then located after officers boarded the train and walked through the subway carriages. | The man was then located after officers boarded the train and walked through the subway carriages. |
He was arrested at Herald Square station - which is located in near to the Empire State Building in Manhattan. | He was arrested at Herald Square station - which is located in near to the Empire State Building in Manhattan. |
He was found with a lighter in his pocket, Ms Tisch said. | |
"I want to thank the young people who called 911 to help," the police commissioner added. | |
"They saw something, they said something and they did something." | "They saw something, they said something and they did something." |
Police said the incident happened at 07:30 local time | Police said the incident happened at 07:30 local time |
The man, who was not publicly identified, emigrated from Guatemala to the US in 2018, the NYPD's Joseph Gulotta said. | The man, who was not publicly identified, emigrated from Guatemala to the US in 2018, the NYPD's Joseph Gulotta said. |
Mr Gulotta explained detectives are still trying to establish whether the victim was asleep when the incident happened. | |
"She's definitely there, she's motionless," Mr Gulotta added. | "She's definitely there, she's motionless," Mr Gulotta added. |
"So to say if she's asleep or not, we're not 100% sure, but it appears that she's motionless at that spot. | "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 is no interaction between the two. And when the incident happens, there is no interaction between them." | "There is no interaction between the two. And when the incident happens, there is no interaction between them." |