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Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, a 33-year-old man who allegedly burned a woman on a subway train in New York City, was charged with first-degree murder and arson on Monday. Videos circulating on social media show the woman on fire in a subway doorway, with a man appearing to fan the flames.
NYC subway horror
The incident occurred early Sunday on a parked F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in New York City. Police said Zapeta-Calil approached the woman and set her clothing on fire with a lighter. The victim, who has not been identified, was apparently homeless. Sitting at the end of the subway car, the victim was consumed by flames within seconds. Disturbing video footage shows the suspect watching the incident with a chillingly indifferent demeanor as the victim burned.
Police said that the victim did not know Zapeta-Calil. They reportedly rode the same train from Queens to Coney Island, where the attack occurred.
NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch called the attack “one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit.”
Following the attack, teenagers reported spotting a man who resembled the suspect on another train, which led to Zapeta-Calil’s arrest. Police said they found a lighter in his pocket. The suspect gave police the address of a Brooklyn homeless shelter for men with drug problems.
Zapeta-Calil was charged with first-degree murder and arson in the case, according to a New York Times report.
Federal immigration officials said Zapeta-Calil is a Guatemalan immigrant who was deported in 2018 and returned illegally.
Officials warn of ‘serious consequences’
Brooklyn district attorney Eric Gonzalez said, “This gruesome and senseless act of violence against a vulnerable woman will be met with the most serious consequences.”
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said it would lodge an immigration detainer against Zapeta-Calil if he is released from local custody. A detainer is a notification from immigration authorities stating their intent to take someone into custody if they are released from the local criminal justice system.
Mayor Eric Adams said immigrants who impede others’ pursuit of the “American dream” are not welcome, saying, “We need to immediately remove them from our country after they serve their time.”
Police chief defends officer seen in video
Police chief of transit Joseph Gulotta defended an officer seen in video walking by the burning woman, saying the officer was securing the crime scene. “I commend that one officer who stayed there, made sure he kept the crime scene the way it’s supposed to be, made sure he kept an eye on what was going on,” Gulotta said. “So I think he did his job perfectly. As his fellow officers went and got MTA workers, got fire extinguishers, and eventually were able to extinguish the individual.”
Previous attacks on trains
This attack is the latest in a series of subway crimes. A stabbing on a 7 train earlier Sunday left one dead and another injured. Despite these incidents, police statistics show overall subway crime is down 6% this year through October compared to last year, according to a New York Times report.
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