Who Are the Guardian Angels? New York City Group Patrolling Subways

2 days ago 3

The Guardian Angels, a volunteer crime-prevention group, is resuming its patrol of the New York City subway following an incident that left a woman on fire onboard a train.

Newsweek reached out to the organization over its website for comment.

Why It Matters

Passengers' fears about their safety on the transport system have risen since Sebastian Zapeta allegedly set a woman on fire onboard a subway train. The woman's identity has still not been publicly announced.

What To Know

The Guardian Angels in their red berets are elevating its ranks to levels seen 45 years ago, founder Curtis Sliwa told The New York Post.

Sliwa said the Guardian Angels will now focus on conducting wellness checks on homeless individuals, as well as those who seem emotionally distressed.

Subway crime remains relatively uncommon, with trains and platforms generally considered as safe as other public spaces in New York City. Police data indicates that major crimes decreased this year through November compared to the same timeframe in 2023.

However, homicides in the subway system have risen, with nine reported through November compared to five during the same period last year. This figure excludes the woman burned to death and a man fatally stabbed at a Queens station on the same day.

In addition, 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.

Zapeta, an undocumented immigrant, was deported from the U.S. in 2018, but reentered the country on an unknown date. He is initially facing charges of murder and arson in a criminal complaint.

Prosecutors allege that Zapeta sat on a bench on the platform, watching as the woman burned. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Later that day, police apprehended Zapeta while he was riding another train.

"It was an example of people just not getting involved," Sliwa said. "And we're here to say, 'You see something, you say something.' You gotta do something."

What People Are Saying

Guardian Angel founder Curtis Sliwa to The New York Post: "We went from 13 to 1,000 [members] back then within a period of a year. Because the need was there. The need is here now once again. We're going to step up. We're going to make sure we have a visual presence just like we had in the '70s, '80s and '90s."

John Scully, former American boxer, on Facebook: "Apparently, that guy who set that girl on fire a couple weeks ago was the push needed for them to return where they should be"