Sebastian Zapeta, 33, has been arraigned on murder and arson charges in Brooklyn criminal court following a horrifying attack that left a woman dead on a New York City subway train. The incident has intensified concerns over subway safety.
Shocking Details of the Incident
Prosecutors allege that Zapeta approached a woman, who may have been asleep on an F train stopped at the Coney Island station, and set her clothing ablaze with a lighter. He then used a shirt to fan the flames, engulfing her in fire.
Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg revealed that after setting the fire, Zapeta sat on a platform bench and watched the flames. Despite his denial of understanding what occurred, Zapeta identified himself in images of the attack shown to him by detectives.
Victim and Investigation Updates
The victim, whose identity is still pending, was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities are continuing their investigation, led by the NYPD and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez condemned the attack as a “gruesome and senseless act of violence,” pledging that it would be met with the “most serious consequences.”
Legal Proceedings and Immigration Status
Zapeta, a Guatemalan citizen previously deported in 2018, was found to have reentered the U.S. illegally. During his arraignment, he did not speak or enter a plea. He is being held without bail at Rikers Island.
Zapeta faces two counts of murder, including one for killing while committing arson, and an additional count of arson. The top charge carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without parole.
Public and Police Response
Graphic video of the attack, shared widely on social media, has amplified public unease about safety in the subway system.
NYPD officials described their response, stating that officers on patrol smelled smoke and found the woman fully engulfed in flames. Though officers and transit workers extinguished the fire, it was too late to save her life.
Zapeta was apprehended hours later on the same subway line after teenagers recognized him from circulated police images.
Subway Safety Concerns Resurface
The attack has fueled ongoing debates about subway safety, homelessness, and mental health. Despite a 6% decline in major felonies between January and November compared to the previous year, subway murders have risen, with nine reported killings this year through November.
This incident follows other high-profile subway crimes, including a September police shooting and the acquittal of former Marine Daniel Penny in the 2022 chokehold death of a subway rider.
Reactions from New Yorkers
Reactions among New Yorkers vary. Deandre Nelson, 22, expressed unease, saying, “It creeped me out real bad.” Others, like Collin Burroughs, 24, admitted feeling saddened but unchanged in their subway routines.
