A new video released by the New York Post shows the shocking moments that led to the death of a man on a New York City subway at the hands of a fellow passenger.
According to witnesses, 30-year-old Jordan Neely boarded the northbound F subway train and soon began hurling insults at passengers. “He started screaming in an aggressive manner,” Juan Alberto Vazquez told The Post
. “He said he had no food; he had no drink, that he was tired and didn’t care if he goes to jail. He started screaming all these things, took off his jacket, a black jacket that he had, and threw it on the ground.” That’s when, according to Vazquez, a 24-year-old former Marine, stepped in and brought Neely to the floor of the subway before placing him in a chokehold, which he held for 15 minutes.Neely lost consciousness and was eventually pronounced dead when EMS workers could not revive him.
The 30-year-old lived on the streets and had a history of mental health issues. “I think that, in one sense, it’s fine that citizens want to jump in and help. But I think as heroes, we have to use moderation,” Vazquez told The Post
. “This would never have happened if the subway police had shown up within five minutes,” he added. “Then we’d be talking about a true hero. It’s complicated.” The 24-year-old suspect was taken into custody but was released shortly after. He declined to comment on the situation when approached by The Post, saying, “I am not interested in answering any questions, thank you.”As discussions continue around the use of excessive force by law enforcement on people experiencing mental health crises, it may also be time to start conversations around the responsibility of civilians in similar situations.