Woman dies after being set on fire on subway train

A New York suspect has been arrested in connection with the death of a woman who was burned on a Brooklyn subway train.

Police chief Jessica Tisch described what happened on Sunday as “one of the most despicable crimes that a person can commit against another person”.

He said the woman was on the F train going to Brooklyn when she was approached by a man who used a flashlight to light her clothes.

The victim died at the scene, he said, adding that the suspect was arrested after being trapped in another subway train.

Police said the woman, who has not been named, was on the subway at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn around 07:30 local time (12:30 GMT) when a man approached her.

There was no prior interaction, police said, adding that they do not believe the two men knew each other.

The man got off the train while the police who were manning the station rushed to the fire.

“Officers were patrolling the upper deck of the property, they smelled and saw smoke and went to investigate,” Mr Tisch said.

“What he saw was a man standing in the car of the train after it caught fire.”

Police are still working to identify the victim and the motive behind the attack.

“Unbeknownst to the responding officers, the suspect remained on the scene and sat on a bench on the platform outside the train,” Tisch added.

He explained that responding officers were able to see “clear, detailed” images of the man and the images were released by the New York Police Department (NYPD).

Later, three New York high school students called 911 to say they knew a suspect on another train, Tisch told reporters.

The man was found and arrested after the police boarded the train and went through the subway.

NYPD Chief Joseph Gulotta said police are still investigating whether the victim was asleep when he was burned.

“He’s definitely there, he’s not walking,” added Gulotta.

“So whether he’s sleeping or not, we’re not 100% sure, but it looks like he’s not walking around there.

“There is no connection between the two. And when the incident happens, there is no connection between them.”