New York subway passenger strangles ‘aggressive’ homeless man with chokehold

A video has shown a passenger strangling to death an “aggressive” homeless man in a chokehold on the New York City subway.

The video, filmed by journalist Juan Alberto Vázquez, shows a man identified as Jordan Neely, 30, aggressively ranting and throwing his jacket to the ground when the traveler intervenes.

The passenger, whose name has not been released by police, pinned Neely to the ground in a chokehold for approximately 15 minutes, knocking him unconscious.

The incident occurred Monday afternoon on the northbound Manhattan subway, according to police and Mr. Vázquez.

The train stopped at the Broadway-Lafayette Street/Bleeker Street station, where the conductor called 911. The man, who was rushed to the hospital afterwards, did not survive.

In the video, the subway passenger can be seen lying on the floor of the train with his arm around Neely’s neck.

Another passerby could be seen helping to hold Neely down on the floor of the subway train.

The passenger was detained but later released without charge.

The man is a Navy veteran, reported the New York Postciting sources.

The investigation is ongoing and authorities are awaiting autopsy results before deciding whether to press charges against the youth.

Neely reportedly had a history of mental health issues and was homeless. However, according to Vázquez, she had not physically attacked anyone before the passenger intervened.

“The disturbed man did not seem to want to attack anyone,” he wrote in a Spanish-language post. “A young man with brown hair and a gray jacket grabbed him behind the neck and pinned him to the ground while he held him down with his legs.”

Vázquez expressed mixed feelings to the New York Post about the meeting, saying that citizens should use restraint when intervening in situations like this.

“I think, in a sense, it’s okay that citizens want to step in and help. But I think as heroes we have to use restraint,” she said.

“This would never have happened if the police had shown up in five minutes. Then we would be talking about a true hero. It’s complicated.”