Two 14-year-old boys lost their lives while engaging in the dangerous activity of subway surfing in New York City, most recently on June 29.
Subway surfing involves riding on the rooftops of train cars, a perilous and illegal act with grave consequences. The recent incidents occurred only a week apart.
The most recent tragedy occurred on Thursday evening, prompting an immediate response from the New York Police Department. At approximately 5:26 pm, officers were dispatched to the 33rd Street and Rawson Street subway station in Queens. There, they discovered an unconscious teenager, identified as Jevon Fraser, lying on a platform of the 7 train. Law enforcement officials reported that Fraser exhibited injuries consistent with a fall from a significant height. Despite the efforts of medical professionals at a local hospital, Fraser was pronounced dead.
Just one week prior, on June 22, a similar incident took place at the Bushwick Avenue and Aberdeen Street subway station in Brooklyn. Police responded and found two 14-year-old boys on the L train tracks. Medical personnel declared one of the young boys, Brian Crespo, deceased at the scene. The other teenager was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition, fighting for his life.
Regrettably, these incidents are not isolated occurrences. The dangerous practice of subway surfing continues to pose a threat to the lives of young people across the city’s transit system. Authorities are continuously faced with the challenging task of raising awareness about the severe risks associated with such activities in an effort to prevent further tragedies.