Man charged in woman's burning death on NYC subway was deported from U.S. in 2018
NBCDec 25, 2024
Suspect Charged in Fatal Burning of Woman on New York Subway
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Above: A police cordon at the scene where a woman died after being lit on fire by a man aboard a subway train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station in Brooklyn on Dec. 22, 2024. Image copyright: Kyle Mazza/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images News
The Facts
New York police on Monday charged 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta with first- and second-degree murder and arson after a woman was set ablaze and killed at a subway station in the early hours of Sunday.
While the victim was not publicly identified at this stage, an immigration official said Zapeta was detained and deported after he illegally entered the US from Guatemala in 2018, but that he subsequently unlawfully re-entered the US.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that Sunday's incident occurred just before 7:30 am (local time) after the suspect and the victim rode an F train to the end of the line at Stillwell Avenue in Brooklyn.
The Spin
Narrative A
This was one of the most depraved crimes a person could possibly commit against another human being. Police are thankful to the three teenagers who had the presence of mind to identify the suspect and call 911 so that justice can be delivered.
Narrative B
Fewer than half the people who ride the New York subway system feel safe or satisfied with the experience. Aside from the general filth and litter, higher numbers of violent and sexual crimes are being reported on trains. This is a spiraling problem that the city's administration is failing to address.
Left narrative
Despite high-profile crimes on the subway garnering outsized media attention, crimes in the city's underground network are among their lowest rates in history. Spiraling crime is a right-wing talking point that's an attempt to increase their electability.
