Federal immigration officials have confirmed that the man accused of setting a woman on fire on a New York City subway is an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala who had previously been deported from the United States.
Illegal immigrant lights sleeping woman on fire
The New York Police Department (NYPD) arrested Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, a 33-year-old Guatemalan national, for allegedly igniting the clothing of a sleeping subway passenger in Coney Island early Sunday morning.
Authorities say the victim, who has yet to be identified, died in a fire that rapidly consumed her.
Police believe Zapeta-Calil approached the woman as the train neared the station, used a lighter to set her clothing alight, and stayed at the scene to watch as the victim succumbed to her injuries.
According to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) representative, “Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, 33, is an unlawfully present Guatemalan citizen who entered the United States without admission by an immigration official.”
ICE detailed Zapeta-Calil’s prior interactions with U.S. immigration authorities.
Suspect had already been deported
“U.S. Border Patrol in Sonoita, Arizona, encountered Zapeta June 1, 2018, and served him with an order of expedited removal and Enforcement and Removal Operations removed Zapeta from the U.S. to Guatemala June 7, 2018,” the spokesperson added. “Zapeta unlawfully reentered the United States on an unknown date and location.”
ICE further verified that they would file an immigration detainer with the NYPD after charges against Zapeta-Calil are finalized and his detention location is determined.
Police have characterized the attack as a random, senseless crime. Providing an account of the incident, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated, “As the train pulled into the station, the suspect calmly walked up to the victim who was in a seated position at the end of the subway car.”
“The suspect used what we believe to be a lighter to ignite the victim’s clothing, which became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds,” she added.
Officers patrolling the upper level of the station noticed the heavy presence of smoke and investigated the scene.
Upon arriving at the train, they found the victim engulfed in flames. They quickly worked to extinguish the fire, but the horrific nature of the attack had already caused significant damage.
Body camera footage later revealed that Zapeta-Calil had remained at the scene even after initiating the fire.
Witnesses identified him to the authorities, and NYPD officers subsequently apprehended him. Upon his arrest, police found a lighter in his possession.
Brooklyn’s District Attorney’s Office shared a strongly worded statement, calling the crime “beyond comprehension” and vowing to pursue justice.
“The depravity of this horrific crime is beyond comprehension, and my office is committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice,” the statement said.
“This gruesome and senseless act of violence against a vulnerable woman will be met with the most serious consequences. Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe on our subways, and we will do everything in our power to ensure accountability in this case.”
Illegal immigrant faces murder charges for setting woman on fire
Zapeta-Calil now faces charges of first-degree murder and arson. Thus far, the authorities have not disclosed the identity of the deceased.
Adding to the conversation around subway safety, New York Governor Kathy Hochul faced significant backlash after releasing comments that were perceived as poorly timed.
Hours after the deadly incident, Hochul posted about her efforts earlier this year to improve the safety of subway systems, claiming successes.
“In March, I took action to make our subways safer for the millions of people who take the trains each day,” Hochul shared in her post.
“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.”
The timing of her remarks sparked immediate outrage. Criticism came pouring in as many felt her words starkly contrasted with the gruesome events of the day.
New York State Senator Rob Ortt voiced his discontent, saying, “The same day Kathy Hochul declared a safe subway, an illegal immigrant set an innocent woman on fire and killed her.”
“It doesn’t get more tone-deaf than that. The Governor must take down her tweet immediately and apologize to the victim’s family and New York taxpayers,” he added.
