New Yorker identified as Yaw Boahene, 57, killed after bag was caught in subway train doors

On Monday, a tragic incident occurred at the Utica Avenue station in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, resulting in the death of a 57-year-old man named Yaw Boahene. The unfortunate event unfolded as Boahene was leaving a Manhattan-bound train when his bag became entangled between the subway's doors. According to witnesses and investigators, Boahene was dragged backwards, pulled between train cars, and onto the tracks.

New York police, who received a 911 call about the accident around 6:05 pm ET, confirmed that the victim was a 57-year-old male from Brooklyn. Upon arrival, officers found Boahene unconscious and unresponsive on the roadbed of the northbound 'A' train. Emergency medical services (EMS) arrived promptly and pronounced him deceased at the scene.

The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner will determine the official cause of death, and the investigation into the incident remains ongoing. While subway accidents are indeed rare, they are not unheard of. For instance, in 2022, a 20-year-old man lost his life after his clothes became caught between the doors of a 1 train at Columbus Circle station during rush hour.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which oversees New York City's transit system, reported a slight increase in subway customer accidents in 2022 compared to the previous year. However, despite the rise in accidents, the MTA noted that ridership grew at a greater rate, leading to a 4.7% decrease in the 12-month rate of accidents.