NEW YORK CITY, NY. (THECOUNT) — A horrifying incident unfolded on a New York City subway when a woman was set ablaze while sleeping on an F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station by a previously deported migrant, 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta-Calil. Zapeta-Calil was arrested hours after the Sunday morning attack, which took place at approximately 7:30 a.m.
At approximately 7:30 a.m., Zapeta-Calil approached the sleeping woman on the train and used a lighter to set her clothing ablaze. After igniting the fire, he exited the train but did not flee the scene; instead, he sat on a bench on the platform directly outside the train car, watching the horrific event unfold. This act was captured by body camera footage from responding NYPD officers, which later aided in his identification and arrest.
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According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Zapeta-Calil is a Guatemalan citizen who was initially encountered by border patrol in Sonoita, Arizona, in June 2018. He was served with an expedited removal order and deported back to Guatemala just six days later. However, Zapeta-Calil managed to unlawfully re-enter the U.S. at an unknown date and location, highlighting significant issues with border security and immigration enforcement.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch condemned the act as “one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being.” The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, was fully engulfed in flames almost instantly, as officers and an MTA employee extinguished the fire. She was found surrounded by liquor bottles, though their role in the incident is unclear.
The horror of the event was compounded by the circulation of graphic footage on social media, showing the extent of the blaze. Zapeta-Calil was described in initial NYPD reports as a male in his late twenties to early thirties, wearing a gray hoodie, blue jeans, a dark hat with a red stripe, and brown boots.
The arrest was facilitated by three vigilant high school students who recognized Zapeta-Calil from the police description and alerted authorities. Their quick actions allowed the police to stop the train Zapeta-Calil was on and apprehend him, discovering a lighter in his possession.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed his commitment to ensuring justice for such violent crimes in the subway system, emphasizing the need for public cooperation and vigilance. The incident has reignited discussions on public safety, immigration policy, and the monitoring of individuals who re-enter the country after deportation.
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