A man accused of setting a woman on fire on a New York City subway appeared in court Tuesday, facing murder and arson charges, while the victim's identity remains undisclosed. This incident, which occurred on a stationary train in Brooklyn, has sparked outrage and renewed concerns about safety on the city's transit system.
Sebastian Zapeta, 33, was remanded into custody after his arraignment. Authorities allege that Zapeta, a Guatemalan national who entered the U.S. illegally, calmly ignited the woman's clothing and fanned the flames, leading to her death. The suspect did not enter a plea, and his lawyer did not speak to the media.
The arrest of Zapeta came swiftly after police released images of the suspect, leading to a tip from three high schoolers. Upon his capture, Zapeta was reportedly wearing the same clothing as seen in the images. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that Zapeta had been previously deported in 2018 and reentered the country illegally at an unknown date.
Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg detailed during the arraignment that Zapeta not only lit the victim's clothes ablaze, but fanned the flames with a shirt. He also stated that, while Zapeta claimed under interrogation to not remember the incident due to alcohol consumption, he did identify himself in the images of the attack. A Brooklyn address linked to Zapeta corresponds to a service center for housing and substance abuse support, but the organization has yet to comment.
The victim, whose identity has not been released, was reportedly seated at the end of the train car at the time of the attack. Police authorities have stated that there is no evidence indicating that the suspect and victim knew each other and that there was no interaction before the incident.
While the New York City subway system has a wide network of cameras and police patrols, its sheer size creates challenges for policing. This incident has brought renewed attention to crime and safety concerns on the system, with heightened concerns regarding the rate of murders within the system, despite overall felony crime rates being down. Recent high-profile incidents have continued to play on the minds of New Yorkers and has increased focus on the need for greater mental health support for individuals within the system.
