Man Arrested for Allegedly Setting Woman on Fire in NYC Subway, Faces Murder and Arson Charges
A man, identified by police as Sebastián Zapeta, is facing charges of murder and arson after allegedly setting a woman on fire inside a New York City subway car, according to authorities. The unidentified woman died from her injuries on Sunday morning.
Zapeta, a 33-year-old Guatemalan national, was taken into custody later that day while riding the same subway line. He had previously been deported from the U.S. in 2018.
According to police, surveillance footage shows Zapeta approaching the woman, who was seated and motionless, possibly asleep, on a train stopped at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station in Brooklyn. He allegedly set her clothing on fire, which quickly engulfed her. The suspect then remained on the platform, watching as the woman burned while police and transit workers tried to extinguish the flames.
"One of the most depraved crimes one could commit against another human being," NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident.
Zapeta was arrested after a group of high school students recognized him from images circulated by police and alerted authorities.
The full details of Zapeta’s immigration history and when he re-entered the U.S. are unclear. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez stated, "The depravity of this brutal and senseless act of violence against a vulnerable woman is incomprehensible, and my office is committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice."
As of now, it’s uncertain if Zapeta has retained an attorney or when he will be arraigned.
This year, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has deployed members of the New York National Guard to patrol the city’s subway system, conducting random bag checks for weapons following several high-profile crimes on the trains. Recently, additional members have been deployed to assist during the holiday season. Hochul also supported funding for installing cameras in every subway car, which authorities credit with aiding in Zapeta’s swift identification.
Story translated from English by an AP editor with assistance from a generative AI tool.
