The death of a subway rider who was put into a chokehold by a former Marine on the train Monday (May 1) has been ruled as a homicide and now activists are calling for justice.
A spokesperson for the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Wednesday that Jordan Neely, 30, died from compression of the neck.
Neely is a popular subway dancer known for wowing straphangers with his Michael Jackson impersonation. The final moments of his life were captured on video, which fueled outrage over his death. According to ABC 7, witnesses told detectives that Neely came onto the train, threw his jacket on the floor, and started screaming and yelling, pacing up and down the cart. “Many of the riders said he was acting in a hostile and erratic manner. But one of the riders was less concerned, later telling detectives it was just another day on the subway,” the outlet reported.
“This is a solemn and serious matter that ended in the tragic loss of Jordan Neely’s life,” Manhattan District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Doug Cohen said in a statement. “As part of our rigorous ongoing investigation, we will review the Medical Examiner’s report, assess all available video and photo footage, identify and interview as many witnesses as possible, and obtain additional medical records.”
The 24-year-old suspect who tackled Neely was questioned by detectives and later released. He claimed that he was just trying to help fellow passengers who felt scared and threatened. But at a vigil for Neely on Wednesday afternoon, advocates said it was actually Neely who needed help but society failed him.
See what the internet has to say about the incident below: