A woman died on Sunday morning after a man allegedly set her clothes on fire using a lighter on a New York subway train. Authorities have condemned the incident as a “brutal murder” and an example of “depraved behavior.” The woman, who had not yet been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene. Law enforcement officials reported that the suspect was apprehended at a different Manhattan subway station approximately eight hours after the attack.
What happened?
The shocking incident occurred Sunday morning at approximately 7:30 am on an F train headed to the Stillwell Avenue terminal in Brooklyn. As the train pulled into the station, the suspect approached the victim, who was seated at the end of the subway car. The suspect then used a lighter to ignite the victim’s clothing, which quickly became fully engulfed in flames.
Patrolling officers on the upper level of the station detected smoke and saw flames, prompting them to investigate. Upon arrival, they found a person standing inside a train car, fully engulfed in flames. The suspect then calmly watched the horrifying scene from a bench on the subway platform as officers and a Metropolitan Transportation Authority worker used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire.
“With the help of an MTA employee and fire extinguisher, the flames were put out. Unfortunately, it was too late and the victim was pronounced (dead) on the scene, “Jessica Tisch, New York Police Department Commissioner said.
The circumstances leading up to the attack are still unclear. Authorities have indicated that the suspect and the victim appear to have been strangers, with no known connection between them.
What we know about the suspect?
According to Joseph Gulotta, Chief of Transit for the Police Department, the suspect, identified as 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta, immigrated to the United States from Guatemala in 2018. Authorities are currently verifying the details of Zapeta’s immigration status.
His arrest was facilitated by three high school students who contacted authorities after recognizing him on an F train in Brooklyn. The students had seen photos of the suspect shared by the police and media outlets. When an officer met with the students, they spotted Zapeta on the train, still wearing the same clothing from the time of the attack. When apprehended, he was found in possession of a lighter.
