Rage has been sparked in New York City by the murder of a woman inside a subway car in Brooklyn. Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, 33, who is in the United States illegally from Guatemala, is charged with first-degree murder and arson after the horrific incident on the subway line Sunday morning.

Zapeta-Calil set fire to the clothes of the woman, who was sleeping in the carriage. The woman was burned alive, while the perpetrator remained calm, watching the tragedy from a bench on the platform. Video footage captured by passersby shows Zapeta-Kalil arriving at the scene to fan the flames, while bystanders filmed the gruesome scene.

He was deported during the Trump presidency

According to the New York Post, Zapeta-Kalil had been deported from the United States in 2018 during the immigration policy implemented by then-President Donald Trump’s administration. Authorities had tracked him down and deported him from the state of Arizona. Despite the deportations and security measures, he managed to re-enter the US illegally.

The shocking incident

The horrific incident took place just before 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning at the Stillwell Avenue station in Coney Island. According to police, the assailant walked up to the woman, who was in a seated position at the end of the carriage, and used a lighter to light a fire on her clothes. The flames spread quickly, causing the woman’s agonizing death.

The police response has sparked strong reactions. Videos show a police officer walking past the scene without intervening, waving his hands in frustration.

Arrest and police reaction

Zapeta-Kalil was arrested Monday when he was identified by students at a Brooklyn subway station. Officers, spotted him at Manhattan’s Herald Square station, where they arrested him inside a crowded subway car.

Police Chief Jessica Tish said officers at the scene of the attack were not aware that the attacker remained at the station. However, his arrest was described by Tish as “an example of excellent police work.”