Official announcements from the NYPD or New York City government

33-Year-Old Guatemalan Charged with First-Degree Murder for Allegedly Setting Woman on Fire in NYC Subway on December 22; Two Stabbed Christmas Eve

Dec 25, 2024, 03:29 PM

A Guatemalan man, identified as 33-year-old Zapeta-Calil, has been charged with first-degree murder for allegedly setting a sleeping woman on fire in a New York City subway car. Authorities report that he claimed to have been intoxicated and did not remember the incident. Witnesses stated that he fanned the flames with a shirt after igniting the victim with a lighter. The incident occurred on December 22, and the victim has yet to be identified. The New York Police Department (NYPD) continues to investigate the case. Following this incident, there has been heightened concern regarding subway safety, particularly in light of a separate attack on Christmas Eve, where two individuals were stabbed at Grand Central Terminal. The assailant in that case was reported to have a criminal record and is also suspected to be an undocumented immigrant.