NEW DELHI: On December 22, 2024, 29-year-old Amelia Carter tragically lost her life after being set on fire aboard a New York City subway train in Brooklyn. The suspect, 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, approached Carter, igniting her blanket, which quickly spread into flames. Amelia, engulfed in fire, stood up before succumbing to her injuries.
Amelia Carter was a 29-year-old woman who tragically lost her life in the incident. Before her death, she had worked as an intern on Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign.
Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, the 33-year-old suspect, is an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala. He had been previously deported in 2018 but re-entered the United States illegally. Zapeta-Calil was arrested shortly after the incident and charged with first-degree murder and arson. He is currently in custody awaiting further legal proceedings.
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Earlier that day, Governor Kathy Hochul had tweeted about the improvements made to subway safety, claiming success in reducing crime with the deployment of National Guard troops and the addition of surveillance cameras in subway cars. The Governor said “In March, I took action to make our subways safer for the millions of people who take the trains daily. Since deploying the @NationalGuardNY to support @NYPDnews and @MTA safety efforts and adding cameras to all subway cars, crime is going down, and ridership is increasing.”
In March, I took action to make our subways safer for the millions of people who take the trains each day.
Since deploying the @NationalGuardNY to support @NYPDnews and @MTA safety efforts and adding cameras to all subway cars, crime is going down, and ridership is going up. pic.twitter.com/T7uRxx9nIO
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) December 22, 2024
However, the brutal incident exposed the gaps in her strategy and raised questions about her priorities. The governor’s actions, focused on long-term investments and federal funding, have been criticized as out of touch with the immediate dangers commuters face daily. Despite the reduction in overall crime, subway murders have risen this year, from five in 2023 to nine in 2024.
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The attack on Amelia Carter has reignited frustration among New Yorkers, who feel that safety in the subway is being neglected despite the administration’s promises. Critics argue that while Hochul and Former President Biden tout large-scale investments, such as the $6.1 billion allocated for semiconductor development, subway crime and safety issues remain unresolved. Many view this as an example of political grandstanding, where local safety concerns take a back seat to more politically favourable initiatives.
The tragedy has left the community grieving and questioning the priorities of state and federal leadership. Calls for urgent reforms in subway security are growing louder, with many demanding immediate action from Governor Hochul and President Biden.