A subway surfing incident turned fatal Tuesday morning, January 23 in Brooklyn, New York, claiming the life of a man in his 50s. The accident occurred around 8:30 a.m. during rush hour, at the Prospect Park station.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) reported that the man was struck by a southbound Q train. Witnesses relayed to police that the victim was observed surfing on top of the train prior to the incident. On arrival, emergency medical services workers pronounced him dead at the scene. The NYPD has indicated that no criminality is suspected in this matter.
Details of the event were further elaborated by a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) employee in a statement to The New York Post. The employee recounted that the victim seemed agitated before attempting the dangerous stunt, stating, “He was in his 50s or 60s; not a kid. Maybe an [emotionally disturbed person]. He was going nuts. He got on top of the train and then his jacket got tangled on a signal pole. He wound up underneath the Q.” Additional accounts from MTA staff revealed that at first, the man clung to the side of the train before a signal pole snagged his jacket, causing him to be spun around and dragged about 20 to 50 feet.
The aftermath of the accident significantly disrupted B and Q train services in Brooklyn. Commuters were redirected to shuttle buses on Flatbush Avenue.
The local community has raised concerns about subway safety in the wake of the incident. Clarice Henry, a long-term resident of Flatbush, echoed the MTA’s safety message, urging, “Stay alive; ride inside,” and questioned the wisdom of such reckless behavior, asking, “What are you made of, steel?”
This fatal accident follows a similar tragedy that occurred less than two weeks earlier, where 14-year-old Alam Reyes lost his life after being thrown from a southbound F train near the Avenue N station in Brooklyn.
The MTA, along with New York City Transit President Richard Davey, have been outspoken about the dangers associated with subway surfing. In response, they have launched campaigns to raise awareness, implemented special police patrols, and worked with social media companies to remove videos promoting subway surfing.
MTA data shows a significant increase in subway incidents, with the count escalating from 206 in 2021 to 928 in 2022. The majority of these incidents involve people riding between train cars.
In a statement, Richard Davey expressed his condolences and emphasized the lethal nature of subway surfing, stating, “Subway surfing kills. Another innocent life has been lost, and it should not happen.”
Joint efforts by the NYPD and MTA continue to focus on ensuring passenger safety and deterring hazardous behaviors like subway surfing through heightened patrols and public education campaigns.
