A tragic incident occurred early Sunday morning on a New York City subway when a sleeping woman was set on fire by a random stranger. The attack happened on an F train at the Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn.
The suspect calmly lit her clothes on fire using a lighter, engulfing her entire body in flames. He then walked off and watched from the platform as the woman burned to death, police said... Continue reading here ▶
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, despite officers’ efforts to extinguish the fire. NYPD officials described the act as “senseless” and “heinous.”
Later that day, the suspect, identified as 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, a Guatemalan migrant, was spotted by a group of teenagers on another subway train and reported to authorities. Zapeta-Calil was taken into custody at Herald Square in Manhattan and is expected to be charged with first-degree murder and arson.
According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, both the victim and the suspect were riding the F train to its last stop. As the train arrived at the station, Zapeta-Calil walked up to the victim, who was seated, and set her clothing on fire. The flames spread quickly, leaving the woman completely engulfed within seconds.
Horrifying footage of the incident, captured by bystanders, shows the extent of the tragedy. Officers at the station initially responded after smelling smoke but were unaware that Zapeta-Calil had stayed at the scene, sitting on a bench just outside the train car.
The NYPD used body camera footage from responding officers to obtain clear images of Zapeta-Calil, which were shared online to help with the search. The combined efforts of the NYPD and MTA Security led to his arrest.
Michael Kemper, MTA Security Chief, expressed condolences to the victim’s family and emphasized the need for swift justice. “There must be strong, swift consequences for this brutal and senseless act. There is no place in civilized society for individuals like this to walk free,” he said.
NYPD officials confirmed there was no prior connection between Zapeta-Calil and the victim. Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the attack and will release more details about both the victim and the suspect in the coming days.
