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NYC subway boss says man dragged to death by train was 'unsteady' and used a cane
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published Sep 30, 2026
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IliketrainsR211T via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published Sep 30, 2026
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The man who was dragged to death by a rush-hour subway train in Brooklyn on Monday was “unsteady” and using a cane as he exited the car onto the platform, NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said during a news conference Wednesday.
The NYPD initially reported the man — identified as 57-year-old Yaw Boahene — died after his shopping bag got caught in the closing door of a Manhattan-bound A train at Utica Avenue around 5:48 p.m. on Monday. Crichlow said crews investigated the train’s doors after the incident and found they were functioning properly. Subway car doors are designed to prevent the train from moving if something keeps them from closing all the way.
Crichlow said the MTA is still investigating exactly how Boahene got caught by the train.
“It’s unclear at this point how he came into contact with the train. Did he stumble? Did the bag get caught? The cane get caught? Did he step in between the gap?” Crichlow said.
MTA officials said Boahene, whose last known address was a homeless shelter, was carrying a blue plastic bag when he died. Crichlow said the MTA did not have cameras on the platform where Boahene was hit by the train, but noted that the agency could see his final moments on video cameras inside the subway car before he got off.
Crichlow said the man was carrying a blue plastic bag, holding a cane and was “very unsteady" when he boarded the train at Rockaway Avenue. When the train arrived at Utica Avenue, Crichlow said Boahene “got up, again was very unsteady, very slow moving getting off the train.”
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched its own investigation into Boahene’s death.
Crichlow said both the train conductor and the operator were removed from service while their internal investigation is ongoing. He said the MTA’s investigation will look into whether the subway crew followed protocol.
Subway conductors stationed in the middle of trains are responsible for opening and closing car doors. They’re required to keep their heads out of the cab window as they depart a station to ensure the train doesn’t drag any objects or people.
“The conductor has the responsibility of observing the platform,” said Crichlow. “They observe the platform before they close the doors and they observe the platforms as they’re departing the station.”
MTA officials said the subway is safe to ride and incidents like Boahene’s death are rare.
Tagged
brooklyn
new york city
public safety
transportation
Ramsey Khalifeh
Ramsey Khalifeh is a transportation reporter on the NYC Accountability desk covering the largest transit system in the country. He was previously a general assignment reporter at Gothamist and worked on the Boston Globe's metro and copy desk. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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