What's New
Sebastian Zapeta has been charged with murder in New York City after allegedly setting a woman on fire aboard a subway train, police said on Monday.
Why It Matters
The broad-daylight attack, which occurred on Sunday, comes amid an uptick in subway murders in New York after years of plummeting levels of violent crime. Sunday's homicide was the second killing on the subway over the weekend and the twelfth of 2024. In 2017, there were zero.
Meanwhile, reports that the suspect, a Guatemalan national, was an illegal immigrant spread quickly on social media, prompting outcry over current immigration policies and some expressing support for President-elect Donald Trump's mass deportation policies.
New York City has been one of the focal points for new migrant arrivals since spring 2022, and its sanctuary policies often prevent local law enforcement from working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on cases.
What To Know
Zapeta, 33, was charged Monday with first and second degree murder and arson after the New York City Police Department arrested the suspect on Sunday hours after the incident at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station.
The incident began when the victim was approached as she was reportedly sleeping on an F train in Brooklyn early on Sunday morning. Surveillance footage from the train's cameras showed a man walking up to her before setting her clothes on fire.
Police said the woman was completely covered in flames within moments, while the man watched from a bench on the platform at the station. Officers patrolling nearby smelled smoke and went to investigate, finding the woman engulfed in flames. She died at the scene.
The cameras on the train and police body-worn cameras picked up a clear image of the suspect, who had stood up and walked away once officers urged passengers to clear the area.
ICE officials previously confirmed to Newsweek on Monday afternoon that Zapeta entered the U.S. illegally in 2018 and was deported but then reentered the country.
ICE spokesperson Marie Ferguson told Newsweek via email that Zapeta was "an unlawfully present Guatemalan citizen," who had entered the U.S. illegally in Sonoita, Arizona, on June 1, 2018. He was served with an order of expedited removal, and he was sent back to Guatemala on June 7 that year.
He then re-entered the U.S. at an unknown time and location, Ferguson said.
Subway Violence
Meanwhile, the incident is the latest in a series of high-profile crimes on New York subway trains that have shocked the city. In response, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has deployed National Guard members in a bid to bolster safety on the city's subway system and help police conduct random searches of bags for weapons. Earlier in December, Hochul deployed additional members to help patrol during the holiday season.
New York Police Department had previously reported declines in subway crime this year. Earlier this month, the department said there was a 15.8 percent reduction in total crime on the nation's largest subway system in November. In the year to date, there was a 6.3 percent decline in the total number of crime on the subway system with 135 fewer reports of crime compared to last year, police said.
What People Are Saying
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the case as "one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being."
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement, "The depravity of this horrific crime is beyond comprehension, and my office is committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice. 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."
ICE spokesperson Marie Ferguson said, "The New York City Police Department arrested Zapeta as part of its investigation into the murder of a woman on a subway in Coney Island, New York. Once he is charged and a holding location is released, ERO will lodge an immigration detainer with the NYPD location where he is being held."
What Happens Next
While Zapeta is being held without bail, ICE said there are plans to issue a detainer to transfer Zapeta to federal custody following his charges, according to Jeff Carter, a spokesman for ICE.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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