Liputan6.com, Jakarta New York City was rocked by another heartbreaking tragedy after two teenage girls were found dead on a subway car.
This tragic incident happend on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at approximately 3:10 a.m. local time, at the Marcy Avenue/Broadway station in Brooklyn.
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Police officers responding to a 911 call found the two victims unconscious and unresponsive.
Paramedics who arrived at the scene immediately pronounced them dead at the scene, with initial suspicions that they were the result of the dangerous practice of subway surfing.
Authorities are currently conducting a thorough investigation to uncover further details regarding the exact cause of death of the two girls, estimated to be between 15 and 18 years old.
Brooklyn Subway Surfing Tragedy
That dark morning, two teenage girls were found on a J train that had just crossed the Williamsburg Bridge from Manhattan.
Police sources said both victims suffered head trauma, indicating a violent impact during the train's journey.
Demetrius Crichlow, the president of NYC Transit, called the deaths a tragedy and highlighted the dangers of “subway surfing,” when people ride on top of trains.
“It’s heartbreaking that two young girls are gone because they somehow thought riding outside a subway train was an acceptable game,” Crichlow said in a statement.
“Parents, teachers, and friends need to be clear with loved ones: getting on top of a subway car isn’t ‘surfing’ — it’s suicide. I’m thinking of both the grieving families, and transit workers who discovered these children, all of whom have been horribly shaken by this tragedy,” he said.
What is Subway Surfing Phenomenon?
Subway surfing, sometimes called train surfing, is the act of riding on the top or outside of a moving train.
This practice is extremely risky and can result in a variety of serious injuries, from falls and electrocution to loss of limbs.This phenomenon is not new, having existed for about a century since the transit system opened in 1904.
In the past, the practice was often practiced by poor migrant workers unable to pay fares or due to overcrowded cars.
However, in recent years, subway surfing has seen a worrying resurgence, fueled primarily by social media platforms.
Videos of this dangerous stunt often go viral, sparking curiosity and a desire to try it among teenagers.
The trend is also believed to have been inspired by the popular game "Subway Surfers."
Increasing Incidents and Prevention Efforts
This tragedy highlights the growing crisis of subway surfing in New York City, with deaths continuing to rise.
In 2024, six people died from this practice, up from five in 2023.
So far in 2025, three people have died, including the two girls in this incident.
The number of subway surfing reports has also quadrupled since 2021, from 206 to 928.
The average age of those arrested for this practice is 14, with some as young as 9.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the NYPD have implemented numerous prevention efforts.
Arrests for subway surfing increased to 229 in 2024, and 128 arrests have been made so far in 2025.
The NYPD has also deployed drones since 2023 to identify "subway surfers" in real time, with 900 drone flights in 2024 reportedly saving 114 people.
In addition to law enforcement and technology, the MTA is also working with social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to remove videos that glorify this activity.
More than 1,800 videos had been removed by June 2025, and more than 10,000 videos and photos had been removed by September 2024.