Two young girls were found dead on a New York City subway train early Saturday morning after a dangerous “subway surfing” activity turned tragic, according to officials.
Police in New York City responded to a 999 call at the Marcy Avenue stop in Brooklyn just after 3 am, where they discovered two girls who were unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene.
The victims’ identities and ages have not been disclosed as authorities conduct an investigation.
New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow expressed sorrow over the incident, emphasizing the dangers of riding on top of subway cars and labeling it as a form of suicide rather than a game.
Reports from the Express US highlighted the impact of the tragedy on the families of the girls and the transit workers who made the discovery.
Subway surfing incidents have been on the rise, with six fatalities reported last year compared to five in the previous year. This risky activity, popularized through social media, has claimed the lives of numerous teenagers, particularly boys, over the years.
Efforts are being made to combat subway surfing, including calls for social media platforms to remove videos that glorify the activity. The NYPD disclosed a significant increase in arrests related to subway surfing, with 229 arrests made last year compared to 135 in the prior year, predominantly involving teenage boys, with the youngest being a 9-year-old.
Public awareness campaigns and the use of drones to deter surfers are part of ongoing initiatives to address this dangerous trend.