Tragedy struck early Saturday in Brooklyn when two teenage girls were found lifeless on top of a moving J train, authorities say. Officials believe the victims were engaging in subway surfing, a dangerous trend that has gained popularity among some NYC youths through social media.
Responding to a 911 call, officers discovered the girls unresponsive around 3 a.m. on the roof of the last car at Marcy Avenue station in Williamsburg, shortly after the train crossed the Williamsburg Bridge from Manhattan. Despite immediate response, both were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities and exact ages have not yet been released.
“It’s devastating that two young lives were lost because they thought climbing onto a subway train was a game,” said Demetrius Crichlow, president of New York City Transit, in a Saturday statement.
Subway surfing—riding on top or hanging off the sides of moving trains—has existed since the transit system’s early days, more than a century ago. In recent years, however, the activity has become increasingly dangerous, fueled by viral videos that encourage teenagers to try it.
Police data shows that through August of this year, three fatalities occurred from subway surfing, including a 15-year-old boy found atop a 7 train at Queensboro Plaza in July. Last year, six people died attempting the stunt, up from five in 2023. Between 2018 and 2022, only five deaths were recorded from similar incidents.
City and state officials, along with the MTA, have stepped up campaigns to discourage youth from attempting subway surfing. Since 2023, law enforcement has deployed drones to catch subway surfers in real time. The MTA is also collaborating with social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to remove videos showing the risky practice.
By Saturday morning, hours after the discovery, Marcy Avenue station had returned to its normal rush-hour activity.
Local residents expressed sorrow and frustration over the incident. Duran Walker, 47, who learned of the tragedy while at a laundromat beneath the station, said he feared the accident would not deter others from trying the stunt. “Even with two kids dying, some will still do it,” Walker said. “It just doesn’t stop.”
Esrin Boran, 38, who runs a fruit stand under the station, expressed disbelief at why anyone would risk their life in such a way. “What are they thinking? If you die, your family suffers the most,” he said. “It’s not worth it.”
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