Man choked to death on NYC subway after threatening passengers

A man was killed on the New York City subway on Monday after he had an outburst and another passenger put him in a headlock, authorities said. 

The 30-year-old man was traveling onboard a northbound F train at around 2:30 p.m. when he suddenly started behaving erratically and threatening the other passengers in the car. One of the passengers, identified only as a 24-year-old male, tried to quell the situation by placing the man in a headlock. The 30-year-old man became unconscious. 

An EMS officer responded to the scene at the Broadway-Lafayette Street/Bleecker Street station and tried to provide aid to the 30-year-old man. However, he was unable to revive him. He was then transported to Lenox Health Hospital in Greenwhich Village, where he was pronounced dead. 

Police later found that the man had a long criminal history, including previous convictions for assault, disorderly conduct, and fare beating, reported The New York Post. 

The 24-year-old man was taken into police custody for questioning but was released on Tuesday without being charged. Police continue to investigate the incident by interviewing witnesses to determine the intentions of the man who restrained the 30-year-old. 

The deceased man has not yet been identified because police are still working to notify his family. 

The incident comes as ridership in the New York City subway system continues to increase, after falling due to increased crime. Last Thursday, the city’s subway system recorded four million trips—the highest number recorded of daily rides since March 2020. 

According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), 65% of riders were satisfied with the system in March, compared to 52% in June 2022. The decrease in crimes in the subway is thought to have led to an increase in satisfaction, with major crimes dropping 16% from October 25 to January 22.