A 13-year-old boy died while subway surfing in Queens on Wednesday. Police say Adolfo Samabria’s body was found at the Forest Avenue station around 10 p.m.
According to the NYPD, it’s the fifth subway surfing death in New York City so far this year. The MTA has made an assertive push to run public service announcements online and in subway stations in an effort to stop the deadly trend.
The New York City Transit president released a statement saying, “This is another heartbreaking situation where a child tragically mistook riding outside subway cars for some kind of joyride. I implore anyone who thinks surfing trains is a game—and parents, friends and teachers who can persuade them otherwise—to understand the deadly risk and ride inside.”
What is Subway Surfing?
So-called subway surfing is when a person rides on top or on the side of a moving train. These prohibited acts are often captured on video and published to social media.
The NYPD, MTA, and city officials have been pushing to alert young people to the dangers of subway surfing after a string of deadly mishaps, many fueled by social media. An MTA staff member revealed that the public transit organization is flagging social media posts of subway surfing to combat and remove content that glorifies that deadly trend; the MTA has removed 10,650 posts across various social media platforms.
Fifth Death Linked to Subway Surfing in NYC This Year
The teen’s death is now the fifth by subway surfing in NYC this year. Last month, an 11-year-old boy died while “subway surfing” in Brooklyn, while attempting to ride on top of a Manhattan-bound train.
In January, 14-year-old Alam Reyes died after he fell while surfing a Coney Island-bound F train, as reported by the NY Daily News. The child followed several subway surfers on social media.
Six months later, in June, Geradm Ashitey, 13, died after falling from a northbound No. 6 train in the Bronx neighborhood of Pelham Bay.
The next month, 15-year-old Anthony Bhagwandeen was discovered deceased with a severe head injury at the Beach 90th St. station elevated tracks in Rockaway, Queens. The cops believe Bhagwandeen died of subway surfing.
