New York Gov. Cathy Hochul came under fire on social media on Sunday for touting how much safer New York City’s subway system was thanks to her efforts, hours after a woman was set on fire and burned to death on a train. .
In an X post on Sunday, Hochul claimed that crime on trains in the Big Apple has decreased since deploying the National Guard in March. Last week, Hochul sent 750 National Guard troops to the metro to curb holiday crime.
“In March, I took action to make the subway safer for the millions of people who ride it every day,” Hochul’s post reads. “Since deploying @NationalGuardNY and installing cameras in every subway car to support @NYPDnews and @MTA safety efforts, crime is down and ridership is up.”
Hochul’s post came about eight hours after he allegedly witnessed a Guatemalan immigrant setting a woman on fire and burning her to death on an F train in Brooklyn. By the time the governor’s tweet was posted, this horrific crime had been widely reported.
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Kathy Hochul was widely criticized for touting her efforts to make New York City’s subways safer just hours after an immigrant allegedly set a woman on fire. (Getty Images/New York City Police Department)
According to the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. at the Stillwell Avenue station.
Several social media users responded to Hochul’s tweet with graphic footage of the self-immolation. The tweet was also briefly accompanied by a note from the X community mentioning the killing.
Melissa DeRosa, who served as secretary under former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, criticized the current governor’s position and also noted that people were killed.
“Two people were murdered on the subway today,” DeRosa wrote. “The governor of New York is a tourist and doesn’t even bother reading the newspaper while he’s in town.”
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Police said the man threw a lighter at the woman, and within seconds she was engulfed in flames. (New York City Police Department)
The advocacy group Antisemitism called out the governor’s communications staff, writing that Hochul “needs a new social media team.”
Ventura County Republican Party Vice President Lori Mills also responded to the ill-timed tweet.
“You missed today’s news,” Mills told Hochul bluntly.
Sources identified Fox News Digital’s person of interest as 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta and said he entered the U.S. from Guatemala about a year ago, but it is unclear whether he entered the country legally or illegally. is.
Fox News Digital has reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for more information about Zapeta.
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On Monday, March 11, 2024, the New York City Police Department and National Guard conduct random bag searches on New York City’s subways. (Matthew McDermott, Fox News Digital)
Fox News Digital reached out to Hochul’s office for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
