The Guardian Angels have resumed patrolling New York City subway cars after a sleeping passenger was burned to death on a train last week.
Founded by Curtis Sliwa in 1979 to combat widespread violence and crime in city's subway system, the Guardian Angels said "hundreds of citizens" requested their return after a woman was burned to death Dec. 22 inside a stopped F train at Brooklyn’s Coney Island station, PIX 11 reported.
A Guatemalan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally has been charged with the murder.
"The Guardian Angels are patrolling subway trains in Coney Island after a woman was set on fire early Sunday morning at the Stillwell Avenue station," the group said Saturday on its Facebook page.
"The volunteer safety group is focusing on idle trains, where people often seek shelter from the cold. During their patrols, the Angels are encouraging riders to stay aware of their surroundings and offering assistance, like directing them to nearest shelters."
Jose Gonzalez, leader of Guardian Angels Brooklyn, told News 12 in Brooklyn that "people don't feel safe."
Sliwa told the New York Post that angels were "covering the actual trains from front to back, walking through the trains and making sure that everything is OK."
"We’re doing this constantly now, starting today that’s going to be our complete focus because the subways are out of control," Sliwa told the outlet.
A group spokesperson recently said the Guardian Angels' three-person patrols would focus on:
- Performing wellness checks on homeless and emotionally disturbed individuals.
- Providing water to homeless and emotionally disturbed individuals who may be dehydrated.
- Reporting any issues with running trains to the New York Police Department.
"The Guardian Angels are dedicated to fostering safer, stronger, and more compassionate communities through volunteer-driven initiatives," the group's website says. "We serve those in need by organizing homeless feedings, mentoring youth through positive leadership programs, offering self-defense courses, and conducting unarmed community patrols to ensure the safety of seniors and vulnerable individuals."
The Guardian Angels last patrolled subway trains in 2020 following the targeted attacks on members of the Asian community during a spike in COVID-19 cases, the Post reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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