He case of the Guatemalan migrant Sebastián Zapeta-Calilaccused of murdering a woman by setting her on fire on a New York subway train, has generated commotion in the city and renewed debates about safety in public transportation. Zapeta-Calil, a Guatemalan citizen who is illegally in the United Stateshas been formally accused by a grand jury on charges of first and second degree murder, as well as arson. As explained by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, the defendant said he did not remember what happened due to excessive alcohol consumption. “However, he identified his face in the images related to the attack,” said assistant prosecutor Ari Rottenberg, quoted by USA Today.
According to NBC News, The crime took place in the early hours of Sunday, December 22, in a car stopped at the Stillwell Avenue station of the F train in Brooklynwhere the victim, a woman presumably homeless and with mobility limitations, was sleeping. The accused used a lighter to set the woman’s clothes on fire and later “threw a shirt to fan the flames,” Rottenberg detailed in court, according to records. CNN. “This type of depraved behavior has no place in our transportation system,” said New York Mayor Eric Adamscited by USA Today.
The authorities began the investigation under the hypothesis of an accident, due to the discovery of liquor bottles near the victim, but later changed the direction of the investigations after analyzing surveillance images. Records showed Zapeta-Calil sitting in front of the woman before starting the fire and later observing the fire from the platform, as detailed NBC News. “These images culminated in the identification of the suspect by three high school students, who recognized him on a train and alerted the police,” he reported. AP News.
The victim, whose identity has not yet been revealed, suffered “thermal injuries and smoke inhalation,” with his death being classified as homicideaccording to the city’s Medical Examiner’s Office, cited by CNN. In an act of solidarity, a group of people held a vigil in his honor on Thursday night at the station where the tragedy occurred. “We believe that prayer has power and that his life mattered,” the Rev. Kevin McCall told CNN.
The case also drew attention to the immigration situation of Zapeta-Calil. According to NBC News, the accused was deported in June 2018 after being detained by the Border Patrol in Arizona. However, he returned to the country illegally at an unknown date and location. “He is a man with no previous criminal record, but whose last registered address was a shelter for people with addiction problems in Brooklyn,” he added. AP News.
The arrest of the accused has not been enough to calm concerns about transportation safety. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the deployment of 250 additional members of the National Guard and assured that more than 15,000 security cameras have been installed throughout the transportation system, according to USA Today. On the other hand, official sources defended the actions of an agent who appears in surveillance images walking near the victim while he was on fire. “I was securing the crime scene while other colleagues were looking for fire extinguishers,” clarified Joseph Gulotta, NYPD traffic chief, quoted by CNN.
The district attorney, Eric Gonzalez, was forceful in describing the act as “a horrific and senseless act against a vulnerable person” and assured that the accusations presented are of the utmost seriousness. As explained to NBC Newsthe charge of murder in first degree can carry a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Brooklyn DA He also stated that his office feels “very confident in the evidence that incriminates the suspect.”
The next step in the Zapeta-Calil judicial process will be January 7, cHe is expected to appear in Kings County Supreme Court, where he will be arraigned on the formal charges presented by the grand jury. Until then, he remains detained at the Rikers Island prison, he reported. AP News. The federal authorities, for their part, have announced that they will issue a request for it to be delivered to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) once the criminal case is concluded.
Although the crime highlights long-standing social problems such as homelessness and mental health In urban systems, the case has reinforced the call of the community and authorities to strengthen security. These types of violent crimes, as well as the lack of resources to protect the most vulnerable people, highlight a multifaceted crisis that New York will have to continue facing.
