Man dies on New York subway after fellow passenger puts him in headlock
- Jordan Neely, 30, appeared to be having a mental health episode on the train when he was taken to the floor and restrained by other riders
- The passenger who subdued him, a 24-year-old US Marine veteran, was taken into custody then released without charges
A man suffering an apparent mental health episode aboard a New York subway died this week after being placed in a headlock by a fellow rider, according to police officials and video of the encounter.
Jordan Neely, 30, was shouting and pacing aboard an F train in Manhattan on Monday afternoon, witnesses and police said, when he was taken to the floor by another passenger.
Video of the altercation posted online by a freelance journalist showed the man lying beneath Neely, holding him in a headlock position for several minutes as Neely tried and failed to break free.
A second passenger pinned Neely’s arms while a third held down his shoulder. It was unclear why the group had moved to restrain him.
Neely lost consciousness during the struggle, according to a New York City Police Department spokesperson. EMTs and police arrived after the train stopped at a station. Neely was pronounced dead at a Manhattan hospital shortly after. The city’s medical examiner is investigating the cause of death.
