Debrina Kawam, 57, identified as woman burned to death ‘by migrant’ on NYC subway as NYPD shares horrifying new detail

The lady who was set on hearth and burned to demise on a New York Metropolis subway automotive has been recognized as Debrina Kawam of New Jersey. 

Surprising footage surprised the Massive Apple as Kawam, 57, was seen engulfed in flames in horror scenes on the practice close to Coney Island on December 22. 

She was allegedly set on hearth by unlawful immigrant Sebastian Zepeta, who cops say used a lighter earlier than fanning the flames together with his shirt. 

Zepeta, 33, is dealing with homicide and arson costs following the horror incident. 

Officers used fingerprint information, dental data and DNA proof to establish Kawam, and mentioned she was believed to have been homeless. She was initially from Tom’s River, New Jersey. 

Kawam was reportedly sleeping on the subway automotive round 7:30am on the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn when she was set ablaze. 

The footage of the moments after Kawam was set on hearth went viral because it confirmed an NYPD officer strolling previous the hearth whereas a person, allegedly Zepeta, watched on. 

NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch advised a press convention that officers who responded weren’t conscious the suspect was on the scene on the time. 

She was allegedly set on hearth by unlawful immigrant Sebastian Zepeta 

Hours after the stunning demise, the NYPD launched photographs of the suspect, exhibiting him watching his sufferer burning to demise earlier than he casually walks away from the scene. 

Zapeta ultimately boarded the F line once more later within the day, and he was arrested on the subway after he was flagged by excessive schoolers whop acknowledged him from the police photographs. 

NYPD officers alerted MTA, who stopped the practice eight stops north from the sighting at Herald Sq. in Midtown Manhattan. Cops boarded the subway and detained Zapeta as he sat in a busy carriage, as caught in dramatic movies shared on-line.

Police Commissioner Tisch praised the police response to the heinous incident as ‘an instance of nice know-how and even better quaint police work’ throughout a press convention on Sunday evening.

Nevertheless, after footage of the horror incident went viral, many questioned the response of the NYPD as an officer appeared to do nothing whereas Kawam burned within the subway automotive. 

Shocked social media customers blasted the police response – describing the habits of cops caught on digital camera as ‘cowardly’ and ‘shameful’ whereas calling for them to be named or fired.

Sebastian Zapeta-Calil is proven sitting on a subway bench watching as the lady he set hearth to burns alive. In entrance of him is an NYPD officer who walked previous him, unaware he was chargeable for the sickening crime 

Zepeta, 33, is dealing with homicide and arson costs following the horror incident 

‘Police officer walks by. Does not take his jacket off to smother the flames. Not his downside. Guess he would not receives a commission an excessive amount of. Can we discover out who he’s? His habits is shameful,’ one individual wrote on X.

DailyMail.com has requested for touch upon why cops seem to have strolled previous the burning lady a number of occasions with out serving to. 

Condemnation of the response from officers was led on Tuesday by New York Congressman Ritchie Torres, who slammed fellow Democrat New York Governor Kathy Hochul. 

The identical day Kawam was recognized, Hochul shared a tweet boasting of ‘dedicating our efforts to placing more cash in your pockets and constructing an Empire State the place everybody has a possibility to succeed.’ 

Torres mentioned in response: ‘On the identical day the homicide sufferer of the subway hearth, Debrina Kawam (61) was lastly recognized, Governor Hochul feels the necessity to take a victory lap. 

”Mission completed’ is the last word type of gaslighting.’  

Condemnation of the response from officers was led on Tuesday by New York Congressman Ritchie Torres, who slammed fellow Democrat New York Governor Kathy Hochul

The incident shortly turned a part of the nationwide debate over the dramatic rise in crimes being dedicated by unlawful immigrants in the US. 

ICE officers mentioned Zepeta entered the US illegally from Guatemala in 2018 and was deported, however re-entered the nation in some unspecified time in the future after. 

New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams got here out after Zepeta’s arrest to name for federal prosecutors to cost him alongside state costs. 

‘Lighting one other human being on hearth and watching them burn alive displays a stage of evil that can’t be tolerated,’ he mentioned in a press release. 

Brooklyn District Legal professional Eric Gonzalez countered that he needed the case to remain below state jurisdiction. 

‘Homicide within the first diploma carries the potential for life with out parole,’ he mentioned, declaring that was ‘extra important in state courtroom than presently in federal courtroom.’ 

‘We imagine very strongly that this case belongs within the state courtroom,’ he mentioned. ‘We’ve got a really robust working relationship with our federal companions and naturally we are going to all the time do what’s in the most effective pursuits’ of the case.