Loading article...
A 14-year-old killed subway surfing in New York as grieving mother joins NYPD outreach campaign
A 14-year-old boy was killed and an 18-year-old critically injured while subway surfing on the Williamsburg Bridge. The mother of a previous victim has joined the NYPD Transit Bureau in a campaign to end the deadly trend, with 83 arrests made this year.
A 14-year-old boy was killed and an 18-year-old critically injured while riding on the outside of a train on the Williamsburg Bridge in New York City on Friday. The incident marks the latest in a disturbing pattern of subway surfing deaths that has prompted an intensified response from law enforcement and grieving families alike.
Norma Nazario, whose teenage son Zachary died subway surfing on the same bridge in 2023, has joined the NYPD Transit Bureau's outreach efforts. Nazario will speak with parents, teenagers, and schools as part of the bureau's campaign to end the deadly trend. 'He was a second historian because he loved history. I miss him a lot. This is why I'm here,' she said of her son.
The NYPD Transit Bureau has deployed drones and is closely monitoring known hotspots for subway surfing activity. So far this year, police have arrested 83 young people for the offence, with six of those arrests occurring in a single day this week. The bureau describes its outreach as a 'massive' operation spanning parents, schools, and guidance counsellors.
Authorities are urging parents to monitor their children's social media activity and watch for potential warning signs, including possession of stolen transit items such as life vests, keys, and radios. These items could indicate that a young person is engaged in or planning to participate in subway surfing.
The phenomenon has been amplified by social media, where videos of young people riding on the outside of trains are shared widely and sometimes attract millions of views. Despite the known risks, the appeal of the dangerous activity continues to draw teenagers, particularly on bridges and elevated sections of the subway system, as reported by News 12 New York.