A 30-year-old homeless man was allegedly killed on a New York City subway train traveling through Manhattan after multiple passengers restrained him, with one putting him in a chokehold until the man became unresponsive.
The incident occurred Monday when Jordan Neely boarded the subway train and began behaving in what some witnesses described as an erratic and threatening manner.
“The man got on the subway car and began to say a somewhat aggressive speech, saying he was hungry, he was thirsty, that he didn’t care about anything, he didn’t care about going to jail, he didn’t care that he gets a big life sentence. That ‘It doesn’t even matter if I died,'” said witness Juan Alberto Vazquez, per NBC 4 New York.
A young man reported to be a Marine Corps veteran came up behind Neely and put him in a chokehold while other passengers also attempted to subdue Neely, taking him to the ground.
Vazquez captured much of what followed on his cellphone.
Neely was pronounced dead after being transported to a local hospital.
New York law enforcement officials have confirmed that Neely had 42 previous arrests on his record and, at the time of his death, had an open warrant for his arrest in connection to an alleged physical assault that happened in 2021, according to Newsweek.
“It’s difficult, it’s a very big dilemma. And after two days, I still think it’s complicated. It’s difficult to judge,” Vazquez said when asked whether he thought those who subdued Neely went too far, per NBC 4.
The 24-year-old man, whom authorities have not publicly identified, was taken into custody by police and subsequently released without charges.
Two days later, a New York City medical examiner ruled Neely’s death a homicide, determining that he died due to neck compression.
Responses to the incident varied, with some calling the event murder while others considered the restraint justified.
New York State Senator Samra Brouk claimed, “Jordan Neely was choked to death by a stranger on a New York City subway while experiencing a mental health crisis. Countless broken systems failed Jordan and led to this moment, including community perceptions of mental illness. We must end the notion that erratic behavior is grounds for a death sentence.”
U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) alleged on Twitter, “Jordan Neely was murdered. But bc Jordan was houseless and crying for food in a time when the city is raising rents and stripping services to militarize itself while many in power demonize the poor, the murderer gets protected w/ passive headlines + no charges.”
“It’s disgusting,” she added.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams cautioned against rushing to judgment, telling CNN, “I don’t think that’s very responsible at a time when we’re still investigating the situation. Let’s let the DA conduct his investigation with the law enforcement officials.”
“To really interfere with that is not the right thing to do,” he added. “And I’m going to be responsible and allow them to do their job and allow them to determine what exactly happened here.”
Candace Owens, a commentator for the Daily Wire, indicated that she “had no sympathy for Jordan Neeley,” saying, “Mental illness is not an excuse to behave violently in public. Please note that if you cannot contain your ‘illness’ and you behave violently around me and/or my children, I will do my absolute best to put you in a chokehold.”
Matt Walsh, another Daily Wire commentator, similarly heralded the bystander’s actions, writing, “The man who restrained Jordan Neely isn’t just in the right here, he’s a hero. But sadly heroes get punished in our sick and depraved society. He needs to get out of NYC immediately.”
Protests have occurred in New York following the release of the video, with some calling for the arrest of the man who had Neely in a headlock. An ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
The issues of homelessness and vagrancy continue to burden cities across the country, including Dallas, with local residents ranking the crisis as one of the pressing problems facing the city, as previously reported in The Dallas Express.
