Two young girls were found dead from ‘subway surfing’ on a J train in New York City on Oct. 4, marking the latest tragedy linked to the deadly online trend. The victims, aged 12 and 13, were discovered unresponsive on the roof of the last car of the train after police responded to a 911 call shortly after 3 a.m. at the Marcy Avenue station in Brooklyn. The teenagers were discovered by transit workers after crossing the Williamsburg Bridge from Manhattan.
Though subway surfing has been around for over a century, the reckless act has gained traction in recent years as an adrenaline-seeking, life-threatening stunt for young people. The Associated Press reported that NYPD arrests of alleged subway surfers rose to 229 in 2024, an increase from 135 the year before. Police said most were boys, with an average age of 14, the youngest being nine years old. “Subway surfing,” which involves riding on the outside of moving subway cars, has become popular among youth on social media, despite being both illegal and deadly.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) President Demetrius Crichlow shared in a statement, “Parents, teachers and friends need to be clear with loved ones: getting on top of a subway car isn’t ‘surfing’—it’s suicide.”
As subway surfing incidents continue to increase, with the New York Times reporting 2,556 cases of people riding outside of train cars in 2024 compared to 490 in 2019, the MTA is taking steps to put an end to this fatal craze. Through the “Subway Surfing Kills – Ride Inside, Stay Alive“ campaign, the MTA has been working with social media platforms to take down sensationalized videos of subway surfing. The agency has also enlisted New York City native and Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B to help raise awareness, including a new subway announcement in which she urges people to stop subway surfing.
Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani shared in a statement, “This tragic incident is a stark reminder of the dangers of subway surfing, which continues to take the lives of too many young New Yorkers every year.”
This incident has affected the University community, particularly students who rely on public transportation daily. The Pace Commuter Student Organization emphasized the importance of subway safety, saying they are “deeply saddened by the recent tragedy” and urging students to “stay alert, avoid risky behaviors and look out for one another while commuting.”
