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The New York City medical examiner ruled that a subway passenger died from strangulation after a fight with another passenger was caught on camera.
Authorities say Jordan Neely’s death was a homicide by “neck compression (strangulation).”
Video of the incident shows Neely, 30, struggling as another man grabs him and holds him to the ground.
Police questioned and released the 24-year-old US Marine who held the passenger.
Homicide means a death caused by another person, but is not necessarily murder. It is now up to police and prosecutors to determine if the charges are justified.
“As part of our rigorous ongoing investigation, we will review the coroner’s report, evaluate all available video and photographs, identify and interview as many witnesses as possible, and obtain additional medical records,” a spokesperson for the Manhattan district attorney said. , Alvin Bragg. in a post-sentencing statement.
“This investigation is being handled by senior and experienced prosecutors and we will provide an update when there is additional public information to share.”
The incident occurred Monday afternoon on the F line train in the SoHo section of Manhattan.
On Wednesday, a rally for Neely was held on the train platform near where he died.
“Justice for Jordan Neely,” the crowd chanted, according to CBS. “If we don’t get it, let’s shut it down.”
Video that was captured by an independent journalist on the train shows the former Marine holding the 30-year-old man, who was said to be acting erratically, around his neck for two minutes and 55 seconds.
Two other horsemen are also seen holding his arms. The three later release the man, who is later seen lying motionless on the ground.
Police sources told CBS, the BBC’s US news partner, that the man who died was littering and yelling at passengers. Neely was a Michael Jackson impersonator and lived on the streets, according to US media.
Officers arrived on the scene at around 2:27 p.m. local time (7:00 p.m. BST) and found the man unconscious.
He was later taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“‘I have no food, I have no drink, I’m fed up,'” the man yelled, according to Vázquez. “‘I don’t care about going to jail and getting a life sentence. I’m ready to die.'”
He added that the rider was terrifying, but had not assaulted anyone. At the time of the incident, Vasquez said he did not believe the man died.
“None of us were thinking about it,” he told the New York Times. “He moved and defended himself.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the video “deeply disturbing and it causes a lot of fear in people.”
She said the state would work with the city to determine if homelessness and access to mental health services “were a factor here.”
The mayor’s office also issued a statement saying that despite the many unknown factors, “we know there were serious mental health issues at play here.”
