A Guatemalan migrant accused of setting a sleeping woman on fire and calmly watching as she burned has been identified as Sebastian Zapeta-Calil.
The suspect later told police he had no memory of the attack, claiming he was intoxicated at the time.
Surveillance footage from MTA cameras allegedly shows Zapeta-Calil standing in the largely empty F train carriage with his hands in his hoodie pockets as flames engulf the victim. The woman, who appeared to rely on a walker for mobility, was seated at the time of the attack. The walker is clearly visible in the haunting images.
Additional video footage appears to show Zapeta-Calil attempting to fan the flames with a T-shirt or similar item as the fire spread, reaching the top of the subway car.
Authorities apprehended Zapeta-Calil shortly afterward on another subway train, where they reportedly found a lighter in his possession. While a motive for the attack remains unclear, police sources told The New York Post that the suspect admitted to being drunk and claimed to have no recollection of setting the woman alight.
US President elect Donald Trump also posted on his social media platform X, calling out Biden administration.
“Amelia Carter, 29 years, burned alive in the NY metro by an illegal from Guatemala. The police did nothing. The Biden’s America doesn’t want her image to be shared because they are responsible for uncontrolled immigration. New York City must be great.”
In a seperate post, he also demaned a death penalty for the suspect.
Widely circulating social media posts suggest that the victim of the subway attack was 29-year-old Amelia Carter. However, police have not yet confirmed the victim’s identity and stated that efforts to establish her identity are still ongoing.
A photograph purporting to show Amelia Carter went viral on X (formerly Twitter), prompting further speculation. Many users reported that X’s Chatbot, Grok, claimed the victim’s name was Amelia Carter, adding to the confusion. Community notes accompanying the viral posts clarified that the photo in question was AI-generated, raising doubts about its authenticity.
