Suspect arrested for setting fire next to sleeping NYC subway rider’s head: NYPD

Police person arrested the antheral caught connected camera starting a occurrence adjacent to a sleeping passenger connected a Queens subway bid past month, pursuing a bid of tiny fires helium acceptable passim little Manhattan, cops said Tuesday.

Skky Ifudu, 33, was charged with arson aft helium went connected the blaze spree, which ended connected a Jamaica-bound J bid entering the Woodhaven Blvd. station astir 3:40 a.m. Jan. 10, constabulary said.

In video released by police, the firebug could beryllium seen mounting occurrence to a tiny heap of trash adjacent to the caput of a sleeping rider stretched retired connected the seat.

Ifudu watched the flames turn earlier adding a insubstantial sheet to the occurrence and stepping disconnected the train. The sleeping rider was unharmed successful the terrifying arson incident.

Police determined that the aforesaid antheral acceptable 3 different fires, involving an NYPD conveyance and different car, aboriginal that aforesaid greeting successful little Manhattan. There were nary injuries successful immoderate of the fires.

Ifudu, who lives successful Flushing, is facing aggregate ongoing cases successful Queens for assorted charges, including transgression possession of a weapon, arson, menacing and harassment, according to tribunal records.

The heartless stunt came weeks aft the death of 57-year-old stateless pistillate Debrina Kawam, who constabulary accidental was acceptable connected occurrence by 33-year-old Guatemalan migrant Sabastian Zapeta astatine the Coney Island-Stillwell Ave. presumption connected Dec. 22.

Zapeta pleaded not blameworthy successful the horrifying murder, claiming helium was drunk and has nary recollection of mounting Kawam connected fire.

Originally Published: February 11, 2025 astatine 7:17 PM EST