Tragedy struck two New York City teenagers who were subway surfing over the Williamsburg Bridge, resulting in one fatality. An unidentified 14-year-old was killed during the stunt, while an 18-year-old was taken to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition after they fell off the J train as it crossed the bridge into Lower Manhattan around 6pm Friday.
Police found the 14-year-old 'unconscious and unresponsive' with 'injuries indicative of falling from an elevated position' after receiving a 911 call about two injured individuals in the vicinity of Lewis and Delancey Streets. The teen's identity has not been released pending family notification, the NYPD told the Daily Mail. The 18-year-old was also found 'unconscious and unresponsive' on a roadbed, the NYPD said.
Subway surfing, a highly fatal stunt, is increasingly popular at the Williamsburg Bridge as the train travels aboveground into Brooklyn and Manhattan. The bridge, however, has many low-hanging beams, which have fatally struck several teenagers over the years. Last October, two teen girls were found dead on top of a J train as it pulled into the Marcy Avenue station in Brooklyn. Both died from brain trauma as a result of striking a beam.
In 2023, Zachary Nazario, 15, was killed while riding on top of a train going over the bridge. He was struck by a beam while turning to look back at his girlfriend.
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a statement on Friday's death, calling it a 'preventable tragedy.' 'No family should get a phone call like that,' he wrote on X. 'Subway surfing is deadly. My heart breaks for the families of these young people.'
NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow also released a statement following the deadly incident, calling it 'heartbreaking.' 'This is heartbreaking and knowing that riding outside trains is going to end tragically, it's incomprehensible—and pains me as a parent—that it continues to happen,' he said. 'I'm imploring families, friends, teachers, and others coming into contact with teens engaging in these suicidal stunts to get them to stop.'
MTA officials have pleaded with parents, begging them to ward their children against subway surfing. However, New York City has been plagued with the deadly trend for years after it caught on thanks to social media. Five died in 2023. The death toll in 2023 was equivalent to the total number of deaths between 2018 and 2022. Six people died attempting the dangerous stunt in 2024, all of them were between 11 and 15.
More than 415 people have been arrested for subway surfing between January 1, 2023 and April 15, 2025, NYPD data shared with the Daily Mail showed. Thirteen have died during the same period.
