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New York, 33-year-old man charged with murder after setting fire to a woman on the subway

2024-12-24 20:41:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

New York, 33-year-old man charged with murder after setting fire to a woman on

In New York, a 33-year-old man is facing murder and arson charges after allegedly setting a woman on fire inside a subway car and then watching her die as she was engulfed in flames.

The police announced on Monday that the person identified as Sebastian Zapeta was arrested on suspicion of being the perpetrator of the crime, a few hours after the woman lost her life, on Sunday morning.

Zapeta is a Guatemalan national who entered the United States illegally after being previously deported in 2018, said Jeff Carter, a spokesman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Department.

Security cameras show the suspect approaching the woman, who was sitting motionless and possibly asleep, inside a subway car at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn and setting her clothes on fire. , the police said.

Her clothes "caught fire within seconds," said Jessica Tisch, New York's police commissioner, as the suspect watched her burn. He was on a bench on the subway platform as police and subway workers put out the flames.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not yet released her identity.

Commissioner Tisch described the incident as one of the most merciless crimes an individual can commit against another human being.

Police arrested the 33-year-old late Sunday while traveling on the same subway line after being tipped off by a group of schoolchildren who recognized him based on photos of the suspect distributed by police.

It is still not clear where and when the accused Zapeta re-entered the American territory, after being deported from the country about 6 years ago.

In a statement, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said that "this horrific crime was unthinkable" and that his office "is committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice."

"This terrible act of violence against a defenseless woman will have the most serious consequences," he said.

It is not clear if the alleged perpetrator has a lawyer and when he will appear in court.

Zapeta's Brooklyn address, released by police, matches the Samaritan Daytop Village center that offers shelter and substance abuse support. The organization did not respond to a request from the Associated Press news agency for comment.

This year, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has sent members of the National Guard into the subway network to help law enforcement conduct random gun checks following a spate of serious crimes on New York City trains. It recently mobilized more guards for patrolling during the holiday season.

About a year ago, Ms. Hochul supported funding to put cameras in every train car in the New York subway system, said Michael Kemper, with the Metropolitan police. He and other officials appreciated that the cameras helped to quickly find the suspected author./ Voa