1 dead, 1 critically injured after passengers were reportedly subway surfing in NYC
New York police are investigating after two passengers who were subway surfing Sunday fell between train cars, leaving 1 dead and 1 hospitalized.
A person called the NYPD about the incident around 10:48 p.m. Sunday, the NYPD's Office of the Deputy Commissioner said Monday morning. The caller said a person had been hit by a train at the 111th Street subway station, part of the 115th Precinct, which includes a northern portion of Queens.
According to the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, the southbound "7" train hit the female passengers.
The office did not announce the ages of the passengers, but local television stations WNYW and WABC reported that they were teenagers.
One of the passengers was pronounced dead at the scene while the other was taken to a hospital with trauma to the head, the Office of the Deputy Commissioner confirmed to Paste BN. The second passenger was listed as being in critical condition.
The girls got on the subway at the Flushing Main St. station, WABC reported, and were reportedly subway surfing, a trend where people ride on top of train cars.
They were running on top of a moving subway as it headed west and had jumped between train cars. When the train stopped, the girls lost their balance and one of the girls fell under the train, the outlet reported.
She also suffered a brain bleed, according to WABC. The outlet said the girls weren’t carrying identification, so police haven’t been able to notify their families.
The identity of the deceased is pending at this time, the Office of the Deputy Commissioner said.
Death, injury comes after a series of other subway surfing incidents
Last year, five people died while subway surfing, reported WABC.
The girl’s death is the sixth subway surfing death this year, according to WABC. Last week, a 13-year-old boy fell and died while subway surfing at the Forest Avenue subway station in Queens.
The following day, a 20-year-old man died under similar circumstances, reported WNBC.
Contributing: Saman Shafiq, Paste BN
Saleen Martin is a reporter on Paste BN's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.