Woman fatally set on fire on Brooklyn subway; suspect in custody: NYPD

BROOKLYN - A person of interest has been taken into custody in connection with a woman who was set on fire and died Sunday morning on a subway train in Brooklyn, police said.

Around 7:30 a.m., the woman and the suspect were both riding the "F" train to the end of the line at the Stillwell Avenue Subway station in Coney Island. 

Police said the victim was seated when a 33-year-old man, a migrant from Guatamala, who police haven’t identified approached the woman and set her on fire with his lighter.

"Officers who were on patrol on an upper level of that station smelled and saw smoke and went to investigate. What they saw was a person standing inside the train car fully engulfed in flames," NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a press conference. 

EMS pronounced the woman dead at the scene. 

Police are crediting three high school students who called and recognized the suspect at the Jay and York Street station.

The suspect is described as a man, 5’6" tall, 150 lbs., and approximately 25-30 years old. He was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, a dark colored knit hat with a red band, and brown boots. (Photo credit: NYPD)

Police said that the victim did not know the suspect. The motive remains unclear. 

Police said a reward of up to $10,000 is payable by Crime Stoppers for information in regard to this incident.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).