A horrific incident on a New York City subway, where a woman was fatally burned, has sparked outrage and raised concerns about bystander apathy. The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta, allegedly set the woman alight while she was possibly sleeping on an F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station. Surveillance footage captured the attack, and Zapeta has been charged with first and second-degree murder, as well as first-degree arson.

The victim, believed to be homeless, has yet to be identified due to the severity of her burns. Investigators are working to locate her family. Adding to the tragedy, reports indicate that bystanders filmed the event but did not intervene. This lack of action has been attributed to the so-called "Daniel Penny effect," a reference to the Marine veteran acquitted in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely on a subway train earlier this year. Some believe the Penny case has made people hesitant to intervene in altercations for fear of legal repercussions.

Zapeta reportedly resided at a substance abuse support center and, according to sources cited by The New York Post, regularly used K2, a synthetic marijuana. He is also a previously deported migrant from Guatemala who illegally re-entered the U.S. after being deported by the Trump administration in 2018. Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa criticized the lack of intervention by bystanders and police, suggesting that fear of legal consequences deterred people from helping the victim. Retired NYPD inspector Paul Mauro offered a different perspective, citing a source who claimed an officer was searching for a fire extinguisher while police responded as quickly as possible.

The incident occurred on the same day that New York Governor Kathy Hochul praised the improved safety of the subway system, drawing criticism on social media. The governor's office did not respond to requests for comment.