A harrowing incident in New York City left many people beyond belief. A video surfaced showing the 33-year-old Guatemalan migrant Sebastian Zapeta-Calil drunkenly ranting just before he allegedly set a woman on fire in the subway. In this unsettling footage, he is heard disregarding others as he says brazenly,
“I don’t give a s**t about people,”
although much of what he said is hard to understand.
The brutal attack occurred on an early Sunday morning F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue stop. Based on eyewitness accounts, Zapeta-Calil approached a sleeping woman and started to set her clothes aflame with a lighter. One eyewitness described him just standing in a calm posture as she was engulfed in flames; this, too, has raised eyebrows on many online forums. The victim died at the scene despite attempts to douse the flame.
Shortly after the attack, Zapeta-Calil was arrested, courtesy of the keen eyes of three high school students who spotted him from surveillance footage. He was later charged with first- and second-degree murder and arson. The police said that Zapeta-Calil had been previously deported from the U.S. in 2018 and illegally re-entered this country. Authorities are still investigating the motive since there was no prior connection between him and the victim.
The incident has shaken the community. Outrage spilled over onto social media, with demands for justice and questions of how such an act could happen. Subway riders renewed fears about safety, with many calling for stricter security measures, such as more police presence and train surveillance.
Immigration issues have also become the focus of attention. The illegal re-entry of Zapeta-Calil into the United States brought to the forefront again debates on border security and enforcement, with many wondering how the system could have allowed him to come back despite his criminal history.via- X
The NYPD Commissioner, Jessica Tisch, called the act “one of the most depraved crimes one person could commit against another human being.” She said officers arrived as fast as possible but too late to save the life of the woman. Thankfully, three high school kids identified him from surveillance photographs, and Zapeta-Calil was taken into custody without incident while still at the location.
The community has reacted with anger and fear. Hundreds took to social media to express their outrage over the incident and demanded justice for the victim. Concerns about subway safety have gone up, with demands to increase police presence and have better surveillance in public transportation areas. The incident also brought up discussions of providing mental health resources for particularly vulnerable populations, including migrants.
