Guardian Angels Take to Subways In NYC After Illegal Alien Burned Woman Alive [WATCH]

The Guardian Angels, an all-volunteer organization dedicated to public safety, will resume patrolling New York City’s subway system following a tragic incident in which a homeless woman was allegedly burned alive by a Guatemalan illegal immigrant.

The crime took place on December 22, 2023, aboard a subway train in Brooklyn, leading to the woman’s death.

The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, has been charged with first- and second-degree murder and could face life in prison without parole if convicted.

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Curtis Sliwa, the founder and head of the Guardian Angels, announced the return of the group’s subway patrols at the Stillwell Avenue-Coney Island station in Brooklyn, where the crime occurred.

Sliwa stated that three-person patrols would once again walk through the subway cars, a task that he claims the police no longer perform due to staffing shortages. “Hundreds of citizens have requested our return because the subways are out of control,” Sliwa said.

The Guardian Angels, which now has about 150 members, previously patrolled the subway system during the surge in anti-Asian hate attacks in 2020.

Sliwa emphasized the group’s commitment to public safety, calling the need for their presence in the subway system urgent.

He pointed out that the New York City Police Department (NYPD) stopped regularly patrolling subway cars in the 1980s due to resource constraints, focusing only on platforms and turnstiles. “We are the people’s patrol,” Sliwa stated, underlining the group’s goal to provide security in a time when the subway system is perceived as unsafe.

The death of the unidentified woman, who was allegedly set on fire by Zapeta-Calil, has brought attention to the safety gaps in the subway system.

Sliwa lamented the absence of intervention for the victim, highlighting the role of the police in the past and the current limitations they face. “I’ve never seen mental health workers — crisis intervention — and we spent millions of dollars, I might add,” he said, criticizing the city’s mental health response.

Sliwa outlined plans for the Guardian Angels to conduct welfare checks and provide assistance to emotionally disturbed individuals in the subway system.

He stated that the group’s presence could have a calming effect, as some of those in distress are familiar with the Guardian Angels. The group will also collaborate with train conductors to alert the police when necessary.

Sliwa also commented on a shift in public behavior, referencing the “Daniel Penny effect,” referring to the hesitation of bystanders to intervene in confrontational situations due to fear of legal repercussions.

“I’ve seen grown men who normally might have gotten involved — they’re just not getting involved anymore,” he said. “We’re here to say, ‘You see something, you say something.’ You gotta do something.”

Guardian Angels Take to NYC Subway After Illegal Alien Burned Woman Alive

The Guardian Angels, an all-volunteer organization dedicated to public safety, will resume patrolling New York City’s subway system following a tragic incident in which a homeless woman was allegedly… pic.twitter.com/jlHhf1x8yA

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The death of the woman in the Brooklyn subway also casts a spotlight on the city’s approach to mental health issues and criminal justice reform.

Under former Mayor Bill de Blasio, a task force was created in 2014 to address the treatment of mentally ill suspects, which included a focus on diverting individuals with mental health issues from criminal justice processes.

This initiative saw a $130 million investment over four years, aiming to reduce incarceration for individuals with mental health conditions.

Current Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Transit Chief Michael Kemper have expressed frustration with recidivist crimes in the subway system, calling attention to the failures of the criminal justice system, particularly regarding the 2019 bail reform laws in New York State.

These laws have been criticized for allowing repeat offenders to avoid incarceration, which some argue exacerbates crime in the city.

The Guardian Angels, while focused on public safety, have had a complex relationship with the NYPD, often clashing with police and facing attacks from criminals.

In early October 2023, Sliwa’s son, Anthony, was injured while defending himself and his stepfather, former New York State Governor David Paterson, during an attack.

The resurgence of the Guardian Angels in the subway system reflects the increasing concerns of New Yorkers about safety and the limitations of the current law enforcement and criminal justice systems.

The group aims to fill the gap left by the police and other city agencies, providing a visible presence and taking direct action to ensure public safety in a city grappling with rising crime and ongoing issues in its subway system.

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