NEW YORK — A vigil was held Thursday for the woman who was lit on fire and killed on a New York City subway train last weekend .
Although the police haven’t yet publicly identified the victim, the community in Coney Island, Brooklyn is working to honor her memory.
“Her life mattered”
Civil rights and religious leaders, as well as various organizations including the Homeless Coalition and Passengers United, gathered at the Stillwell Avenue station to condemn the violence that played out on an F train on Sunday morning.
“Her life mattered,” the Rev. Kevin McCall said. “Thank God they caught the person that did this. But it’s not just the person’s fault, it’s the system’s fault. The system failed.”
McCall took the city to task, saying there were no fire extinguishers on the train and claims the responding officer had no support.
However, NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta said during a news conference on Sunday that several officers responded, and he praised their efforts.