A sleeping woman was killed after her body was set aflame on the New York City subway, police said.
The incident happened Sunday morning at a station in Coney Island, where an F train carrying the victim had been idling. The woman did not die immediately - only succumbing to her injuries after cops found her burning to death at the scene.
Officers at the scene after receiving a call of a woman needing assistance were seen using a tarp to cover up one of the train's windows - seemingly to block a view of the grisly scene.
They have since discerned an unknown man caught on camera at the station lit her on fire at around 7:29 am, sparking a homicide investigation.
By the time they arrived, the woman was already engulfed, officers said in a statement hours later - as they continued to search for the culprit seen in surveillance footage taken from the scene.
Officers added how the woman was found with a litany of liquor bottles - though law enforcement sources who spoke to The New York Post said investigators remain stumped as to whether that played a part in the fire.
Police also revealed how they put out the fire out before the woman died from her injuries, at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station.
That was around 7:30am, minutes after the still-at-large man walked by the unnamed woman and threw a match. The man, said to have entered the train while it was pulled in, fled the station. Photos of him have since been released, as he remains at-large.
A sleeping woman was killed after her body was set aflame on the New York City subway early Sunday morning, police have revealed
They have since discerned an unknown man caught on camera at the station lit her on fire at 7:29 am, spurring a homicide investigation
They show a man approximately 25 to 30 years old, and have been released to the public along with a statement.
'On Sunday... at approximately 0729 hours, an unidentified female victim was sleeping aboard a stationary “F” train at the Stillwell Avenue Subway station when an unknown male individual approached and lit the victim on fire,' it read.
'The individual then left the subway car. The victim was pronounced deceased by EMS at the scene.'
Officers went on to ask for help in locating the suspect, describing him as a 5’6” tall, 150-lb male.
'He was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, a dark colored knit hat with a red band, and brown boots,' the bulletin continued, sharing three CCTV photos from the Brooklyn subway station.
'A reward of up to $10,000 is payable by Crime Stoppers for information in regard to this incident.'
The statement was sent around at roughly 1:30pm ET. DailyMail.com has reached out to the department for more information.
No information was readily available about the female victim, and the suspect's motive - if any - still remains unclear.
No information was readily available about the female victim, and the suspect's motive - if any - remains unclear. He is seen here again in the third of three photos being circulated since the incident
The woman, cops said, did not die immediately - only succumbing to her injuries after cops found her burning to death at the scene
Officers at the scene after receiving a call of a woman needing assistance were seen using a tarp to cover up one of the train's windows - seemingly to block a view of the grisly scene
Officers are asking for help in locating the suspect, describing him as a 5’6” tall, 150-lb male aged 20 to 35
One of the photos released by the NYPD appear to have been taken by straphangar, showing the suspect sitting on a bench at an unspecified station.
The others show him in the same clothes seemingly in the subway car in question, where police extinguished the fire and EMS workers declared the woman dead at the scene.
The 5 and 6 platform, in addition to that of the F train, were roped off with police tape as a result.
Service for the F train - the same line where Long Island's Daniel Perry choked an aggressive homeless man to death - was shut down in both directions.
As of 2:45pm ET, a suspect had yet to be named. Cops have not announced any arrests.
This is a developing story; please check for updates.
