A 57-year-old Brooklyn man was killed Monday evening after his bag became trapped in the closing doors of a New York City subway train, which dragged him onto the tracks, authorities said.
Police identified the victim as Yaw Boahene, a Brooklyn resident.
The incident occurred around 6:05 p.m. ET at the Utica Avenue station in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighbourhood, according to the New York Police Department. Boahene was exiting a Manhattan-bound train when his shopping bag got caught between the subway doors, ABC7 reported, citing investigators.
He was dragged backwards, pulled between the train cars and onto the roadbed, according to the report.
“Upon arrival, officers were informed that a 57-year-old male was discovered unconscious and unresponsive on the roadbed of the northbound ‘A’ train,” the NYPD said in a statement.
“EMS responded and pronounced the man deceased at the scene. The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death, and the investigation is ongoing.”
A witness told ABC7 she was returning home from school when the incident unfolded, sending people on the platform into a panic.
While subway accidents are rare, a similar tragedy occurred in 2022 when a 20-year-old man was killed after his clothes became caught in the doors of a 1 train at Columbus Circle station in Manhattan during rush hour.
According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees New York City’s transit system, subway customer accidents rose slightly in 2025, up 2%.
However, the MTA noted that “ridership grew at a greater rate than accidents,” adding: “As a result, the 12-month rate decreased by 4.7%.”
