Advocates hold prayer vigil in Coney Island for woman burned alive on F train, demand officials stem violence on subways

Community advocates gathered at Brooklyn’s Coney Island Stillwell Avenue subway station on Thursday afternoon to mourn a woman who was burned to death in the station on Sunday morning.

The prayer vigil, hosted by activist Rev. Kevin McCall, was held to commemorate the yet-to-be-identified woman who died after being set on fire while she was sleeping aboard a stationary F train at the Stillwell Avenue station early on Dec. 22.

The group held hands and prayed both at the station’s entrance and on the F Train platform near where the woman was killed.

McCall, who founded the Crisis Action Center, and the other advocates also called on elected officials to do more to keep New Yorkers safe on the subways.

“We are here today because of this horrific crime that has taken place. This crime should not have happened,” McCall said. “The slogan in this city is ‘if you see something, say something.’ But no one said something. No one did nothing. They just watched this young lady burn on fire alive.”

The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office on Tuesday charged Sebastian Zapeta-Calil — the man suspected of committing the heinous act — with first-degree murder. Zapeta-Calil, 33, allegedly set the woman ablaze using a lighter; cops say he then allegedly attempted to keep the fire going by fanning the flames with a shirt.

Parts of the incident were caught on videos that have gone viral on social media.

The alleged perpetrator, who did not enter a plea on Dec. 24, is a migrant who entered the country illegally in 2018, according to US Immigration and Customers Enforcement (ICE). He reportedly lived in a city shelter, although the Department of Homeless Services has refused to confirm that, citing privacy reasons.

While McCall commended the authorities for catching Zapeta-Calil, he blamed Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul for not doing enough to prevent such incidents from occurring in the first place.