Man arrested after woman killed in Brooklyn F train fire, police say

With help from the public, police arrested a person of interest in the death of a woman who was set on fire while aboard an F train in Brooklyn Sunday morning, officials announced.

Authorities said the man and the victim, who were both not identified, were riding in the same car when it pulled into the Stillwell Avenue station at the south end of the line just before 7:30 a.m. when he “calmly” walked up to the motionless. woman and used what they believe was a lighter to ignite her clothing, which was completely engulfed in seconds.

The fire spread through the train car at the terminal, according to images reviewed by Gothamist. Officers patrolling the station saw and smelled the smoke and, with the help of an MTA employee, used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames.

Police say the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said three “high school age” students had called 911 to report they recognized the suspect from photos police had shared with the public earlier in the day. That led officers to spot the man while riding the subway in Midtown Manhattan later Sunday night, authorities said.

“Transit officers responded to that 911 call and also saw the man wearing the same gray hoodie, plain wool hat, paint splattered pants and tan boots already on another moving train,” Tisch said. “The person of interest was also found with a lighter in his pocket.”

MTA Chief Security Officer Michael Kemper said on-board video cameras allowed police detectives to work quickly to find out what happened.

“It gave detectives instant answers to questions they had,” he said. “It offered them pictures of the perpetrator and allowed them to take those pictures and release them to the public, and it gave the public an opportunity to see something and say something, and that’s why we’re standing here now reporting that a person is in custody.”

NYPD Transit Chief Joseph Gulotta said the victim and the person of interest did not interact at all before the crime, and police do not believe they knew each other. The incident remains under investigation.

“This is great work by the public and police working together,” Gulotta said. “Again, someone saw something, we got it out through technology in many ways, and we’re able to make a quick arrest on this nothing short of heinous crime that took place in our subway system.”

MTA officials said service on the F line was temporarily interrupted to and from Stillwell Avenue after the fire. Service resumed late Sunday afternoon, officials said.