Jordan Neely news: AOC, BLM call for ex-Marine to be ‘held accountable’ for NYC subway chokehold death

Black Lives Matter and Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have joined the chorus of voices calling for the former Marine seen putting Jordan Neely in a chokehold before his death to be held accountable.

The death of Neely on the New York Subway has been ruled a homicide after the 30-year-old homeless man was filmed being placed in a chokehold after acting in an erratic manner, seemingly frustrated about his personal situation.

Critics said those blaming Neely for his death are “dehumanising” a Black homeless man who struggled with mental health.

New York Mayor Eric Adams came under fire for his lack of rebuke following Neely’s death, including from Ms Ocasio-Cortez, who called out Mr Adams for “not being able to condemn a public murder”.

The video of the incident, filmed by journalist Juan Alberto Vazquez, shows Neely shouting and throwing his jacket on the ground.

The passenger, whose name has not been released by police, pinned Neely to the ground in a chokehold for approximately 15 minutes, leaving him unconscious, according to the New York Post.

Key Points

• ‘Jordan Neely’s murder is a heartbreaking tragedy'

• Neely’s father speaks out

• PHOTOS: New Yorkers march to protest death of Jordan Neely

• ‘Jordan was houseless and crying for food in a time when the city is raising rents and stripping services'

• The killing of Jordan Neely exposes the ugly truth about how America sees homeless people

Fox commentator blames ‘emasculation of the police’ for Neely death

12:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Greg Gutfield here labels the dead man “a violent felon” and uses the tragedy to attack progressive Democrats for supporting the alleged weakening of police powers in the wake of the killing of George Floyd in 2020.

Brian Kilmeade, on the same network, was likewise quick to cite Neely’s prior arrest record and blame the lack of guards on the subway for creating the situation.

Their attitudes are typical of much of the right-wing commentary online, which is, on the whole, more inclined to side with the restrainer or attempt to smear the victim rather than lament the failings of New York’s mental health infrastructure, which ultimately meant Jordan Neely did not receive the help he needed and led to this sorry end.

Jordan Neely had been an expert Michael Jackson impersonator

11:40 , Joe Sommerlad

The victim at the heart of this desperate tragedy grew up to be known as an expert Michael Jackson impersonator, performing on the subway and in Times Square, his skills evident in a number of videos widely shared on social media in the wake of his death.

A neighbour of the deceased’s father told The New York Daily News this week that the teenage Neely used dancing as an outlet to help him deal with his struggles with mental health, much of which appears to have brought on by the horrific murder of his mother Christie in 2007 at the hands of her boyfriend, at whose trial Jordan bravely testified.

‘Vigilante’ accused of causing Jordan Neely’s death hires attorney

11:20 , Joe Sommerlad

The US Marine who placed Jordan Neely in a chokehold on a New York City subway train on Monday afternoon before his death is said to have lawyered up amid a growing swell of outrage in the city.

The New York Post reports that the 24-year-old Queens man has hired attorney Thomas Kenniff – a man who ran unsuccessfully against Alvin Bragg for the position of Manhattan district attorney.

On Thursday, Mr Bragg’s office met with NYPD detectives to weigh up possible criminal charges against the Marine, who has not been publicly named by officials.

Neely’s death has been ruled a homicide by neck compression but no arrests have been made.

Kenniff, a Republican, is an Iraq War veteran and major in the Army National Guard as well as a a former Westchester prosecutor and founding partner at Raiser & Kenniff, according to The Post, which adds that he did not wish to comment on his new client when approached on Thursday.

A spokesperson for DA Bragg said on Wednesday evening: “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.”

NYC officials drift apart in reactions to Neely’s death

11:00 , Gustaf Kilander

New York officials began drifting apart as they reacted to the news of Neely’s death.

City Comptroller Brad Lander tweeted on Tuesday that “NYC is not Gotham. We must not become a city where a mentally ill human being can be choked to death by a vigilante without consequences. Or where the killer is justified & cheered”.

“Jordan Neely was murdered. But bc Jordan was houseless and crying for food in a time when the city is raising rents and stripping services to militarize itself while many in power demonize the poor, the murderer gets protected w/ passive headlines + no charges,” Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “It’s disgusting.”

Mayor Eric Adams appeared on CNN, criticising other elected officials for seeming to be getting ahead of Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg.

“I don’t think that’s very responsible at a time when we are still investigating the situation. Let’s let the DA conduct his investigation with law enforcement officials,” the mayor said. “To interfere with that is not the right thing to do.”

New York was not a ‘safe city’ for Jordan Neely

10:30 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Democratic state senator Julia Salazar compared Neely’s horrific killing to a lynching – the public extermination of a Black, marginalized person in the name of restoring public order.

Though Neely was not killed by the police, his death painfully shows how mainstream rhetoric of policing, order, and safety all frame marginalized people as innately unsafe. From this viewpoint, “safety” means hiding, quelling, or even outright eliminating certain marginalized populations – Black people, homeless people, mentally ill people, poor people.

Noah Berlatsky writes:

New York was not safe for Jordan Neely | Voices

From Michael Jackson impersonator to harrowing death: Who was the homeless man killed on the NYC subway?

10:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man, was killed in a New York City subway train on Monday afternoon after he apparently suffered a mental health episode, leading a fellow passenger to wrestle him to the floor with the help of two others, holding him in a chokehold.

The shocking incident was captured on phone video at the scene, sparking debate among New Yorkers about the rights and wrongs of the vigilante’s actions and the extent to which Neely’s behaviour could have been interpreted as a threat to the safety of his fellow passengers.

Eyewitness Juan Alberto Vazquez, a freelance journalist, told The New York Post precisely what happened after Neely boarded the northbound F train at Second Avenue station.

“He starts to make a speech. He started screaming in an aggressive manner,” Mr Vazquez said.

“He said he had no food, he had no drink, that he was tired and doesn’t care if he goes to jail. He started screaming all these things, took off his jacket, a black jacket that he had, and threw it on the ground.”

Read more:

Who was the homeless Michael Jackson impersonator killed on the NYC subway?

The killing of Jordan Neely underscores violence facing vulnerable New Yorkers

09:30 , Sravasti Dasgupta

New Yorkers are no strangers to unstable or disruptive people who ride the city’s 6,500 subway cars; subway riders typically keep to themselves and ignore them.

But Neely’s death has revived volatile media narratives about New York’s homeless population, spinning an act of vigilantism to blame the person killed by it.

The mayor and governor have not explicitly condemned the act of lethal violence, raising questions among New York leaders whether the city considers the life of a homeless Black man less valuable than a white stranger prepared to use deadly force.

Alex Woodward writes:

Jordan Neely’s death underscores violence against New York’s most vulnerable

‘Jordan was houseless and crying for food in a time when the city is raising rents and stripping services'

09:00 , Gustaf Kilander

New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Wednesday evening that “Jordan Neely was murdered. But bc Jordan was houseless and crying for food in a time when the city is raising rents and stripping services to militarize itself while many in power demonize the poor, the murderer gets protected w/ passive headlines + no charges. It’s disgusting”.

“It is appalling how so many take advantage of headlines re: crime for an obsolete ‘tough on crime’ political, media, & budgetary gain, but when a public murder happens that reinforces existing power structures, those same forces rush to exonerate&look the other way. We shouldn’t,” she added.

Podcaster Keith Olbermann replied: “It was as much a vigilante act as Bernie Goetz. Arrest the SOB.”

Goetz shot four African American men on the New York Subway in 1984.

‘The system failed him’: Relatives speak out after Jordan Neely subway chokehold killing

08:30 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Relatives of Jordan Neely spoke out following the killing of the 30-year-old homeless man in an incident on the New York subway.

Neely’s aunt, Carolyn Neely, told The New York Post: “My sister Christie was murdered in 2007 and after that, he has never been the same.

“It had a big impact on him. He developed depression and it grew and became more serious. He was schizophrenic, PTSD. Doctors knew his condition and he needed to be treated for that.“The whole system just failed him. He fell through the cracks of the system.”

Read more:

Relatives speak out after Jordan Neely subway chokehold killing

New York City council speaker Adrienne Adams issues statement

08:00 , Gustaf Kilander

New York City council speaker Adrienne Adams

Protesters gather for second day of demonstrations in New York City

07:30 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Dozens of people gathered last night in Brooklyn’s Barclay Center for a second day of demonstrations against the death of Jordan Neely.

Kyle Ishmael, a 38-year-old Harlem resident, said the video showing Neely in a chokehold left him “disgusted.”

“I couldn’t believe this was happening on my subway in my city that I grew up in,” he was quoted as saying to the Associated Press.

The death of Neely on the New York Subway has been ruled a homicide after the 30-year-old homeless man was filmed being placed in a chokehold after acting in an erratic manner, seemingly frustrated about his personal situation.

Tari Tudesco, a backup dancer in the Michael Jackson tribute act “Michael’s Mirror,” said many in the community had grown worried about Neely’s absence in recent years, and had begun searching for him, unsuccessfully.

“We were in shock to find now that he was living homeless,” she said.

“We feel terrible.”

DA urges anyone with information to come forward

07:00 , Gustaf Kilander

A spokesperson at the Manhattan DA’s office said in a statement:

“This is a solemn and serious matter that ended in the tragic loss of Jordan Neely’s life.

“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.

“This investigation is being handled by senior, experienced prosecutors and we will provide an update when there is additional public information to share.

“The Manhattan D.A.’s Office encourages anyone who witnessed or has information about this incident to call 212-335-9040.”

ICYMI: Black Lives Matter and NAACP join Democrats in calling for accountability

06:30 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Black Lives Matter and the NAACP joined the growing number of Democrats calling for accountability in the chokehold killing of 30-year-old homeless man Jordan Neely.

The death of Neely on the New York Subway has been ruled a homicide after the 30-year-old homeless man was filmed being placed in a chokehold after acting in an erratic manner, frustrated about his personal situation.

Gustaf Kilander has more:

BLM and NAACP join Democrats in calling for accountability in Jordan Neely killing

‘A new low’: AOC blasts New York Mayor’s statement after Neely’s death

06:00 , Ariana Baio

“This honestly feels like a new low,” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on Twitter on Wednesday in response to a Mr Adams’ statement.

“Not being able to clearly condemn a public murder because the victim was of a social status some would deem ‘too low’ to care about,” Ms Ocasio-Cortez added. “The last sentence is especially rich from an admin trying to cut the very services that could have helped him.”

Eric Adams and AOC clash over killing of homeless man placed in chokehold by NYC subway passenger

05:15 , Ariana Baio

New York City Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pushed back on a statement issued by New York City Mayor Eric Adams on the murder of a man riding the subway saying Mr Adams reached “a new low.”

Mr Adams issued a statement on Wednesday, as reported by Gotham Gazette journalist Ben Max, in which he addressed the murder of an unhoused man on a New York City subway.

“Any loss of life is tragic,” Mr Adams’ statement began. “There’s a lot we don’t know about what happened here, so I’m going to refrain from commenting further.”

“However, we do know there were serious mental health issues in play here which is why our administration has made record investment in providing care to those who ended it and getting people off the streets and subways, and out of dangerous situations,” the statement continued.

The unhoused man, identified as 30-year-old Jordan Neely, was killed after being placed in a chokehold by a subway passenger- something Mr Adams did not address in his statement.

Read more:

Eric Adams and AOC clash over death of homeless man on NYC subway

‘Jordan Neely, say his name!’: Death of 30-year-old spark New York protests

04:30 , Rachel Sharp

‘Jordan Neely, say his name!’: Death of 30-year-old spark New York protests

On Wednesday, the medical examiner officially ruled Neely’s death a homicide and determined that it was caused by the chokehold.

But, despite the ruling, the 24-year-old veteran has not been arrested over his death – sparking outrage among New Yorkers.

A large group of protesters gathered inside the East Houston and Lafayette subway station on Wednesday demanding charges be brought against Neely’s accused killer.

They chanted “Jordan Neely, say his name!” and “F*** Eric Adams” as they were met by a heavy NYPD presence.

Protesters gather on NYC subway demanding charges as chokehold death of homeless man is ruled a homicide

03:45 , Rachel Sharp

Protesters gathered on a New York City subway platform on Wednesday demanding justice for a homeless man after his death was ruled a homicide.

Jordan Neely, 30, died when a Marine veteran, 24, placed him in a chokehold on board an F Train in Manhattan on Monday afternoon.

Disturbing cellphone footage, circulating online, shows the veteran – who has not been publicly named – wrestling Neely to the floor before pinning him in a chokehold.

Neely, who used to be a Michael Jackson impersonator at Times Square, was held in the chokehold for almost three minutes while two other passengers were also seen helping to restrain him.

The 30-year-old lost consciousness and was rushed to hospital. He never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead that day.

Read more:

Protesters gather on NYC subway as Jordan Neely’s chokehold death is ruled a homicide

‘He was really such a sweet kid, he just had a bad time'

03:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Tattoo artist Melyssa Votta told Gothamist that she met Neely in high school.

“He was really such a sweet kid, he just had a bad time,” she said, adding that they would spend time together at Union Square Park and at a McDonald’s in the area.

“We would always hang out there. He was a regular kid,” she told the outlet.

“He had this dream of being the dancer that he was,” she said. “He made it happen.”

‘Jordan could have been housed but nobody cares'

02:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Larry Malcolm Smith Jr told Gothamist that he met Neely while in foster care about ten years ago and saw him as an older brother.

He said Neely shared the money he made dancing to allow other children could get food or a haircut.

“This was a good guy,” Mr Smith told the outlet. “He would be in the New York City train station using his God-gifted ability and talent.”

“I just want people to know the positives,” he added.

“Jordan could have been housed but nobody cares,” he said, adding that Neely was failed by the systems meant to help young New Yorkers.

The killing of Jordan Neely exposes the ugly truth about how America sees homeless people

01:31 , Josh Marcus

On a Monday afternoon F train in Manhattan, a passenger wrestled another man to the ground and wrapped his arm around his neck for several minutes. He died moments later.

Jordan Neely’s death was recorded by another passenger and preserved in a widely shared video. The 24-year-old white man who placed Neely in a chokehold has not been identified. He was released from police custody without any charges.

His cause of death was a homicide. The 30-year-old Black man – known for his precise Michael Jackson impersonations on subway platforms while experiencing homelessness in New York City – died from the compression against his neck, according to the city’s medical examiner.

New Yorkers are no strangers to unstable or disruptive people who ride the city’s 6,500 subway cars; subway riders typically keep to themselves and ignore them.

But Neely’s death has revived volatile media narratives about New York’s homeless population, spinning an act of vigilantism to blame the person killed by it. The mayor and governor have not explicitly condemned the act of lethal violence, raising questions among New York leaders whether the city considers the life of a homeless Black man less valuable than a white stranger prepared to use deadly force.

Alex Woodward reports.

Jordan Neely’s death underscores violence against New York’s most vulnerable

‘I suggest the Democrats get their ducks in a row,’ attorney and commentator says

01:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Attorney and political commentator Olayemi Olurin tweeted on Thursday afternoon: “I am going to break my back speaking against Hochul and Eric Adams for the remainder of their terms and ESPECIALLY when they next run for election + I don’t want to hear zilch about them being the lesser of 2 evils when they are the evil costing New Yorkers their lives.”

“I suggest the Democrats get their ducks in a row and find somebody in the party to replace them with cuz it’s a WRAP on them and I’ll be damned me or any other progressive advocates get muscled into supporting them. F*** them and f*** that,” she added.

“We have a lot of Democrat politicians in NY who absolutely do NOT support Eric Adams and Kathy Hochul’s assault on the rights of Black, brown, poor, and houseless New Yorkers—but many of them are not doing enough to stop them + we demand more if they want to keep being elected,” she said.

Official NYPD statement on Neely’s death

01:00 , Gustaf Kilander

NYPD

New York state senators call Neely’s death a ‘lynching'

Friday 5 May 2023 00:30 , Gustaf Kilander

New York State Senators Julia Salazar and Jabari Brisport have both said Neely was lynched.

“Jordan Neely was lynched. He had no food, no water, no safe place to rest. He had the audacity to publicly yell about that massive injustice, so they killed him,” Mr Brisport tweeted.

“A man named Jordan Neely was choked to death in public on the subway this week while people watched and even cheered. This is horrific. The constant demonization of poor people and people in mental health crisis in our city allows for this barbarism. It is making our city sick,” Ms Salazar said. “This was a lynching.”

‘This is not leadership’: National Low-Income Housing Coalition CEO blasts comments by Eric Adams

Friday 5 May 2023 00:00 , Gustaf Kilander

The President and CEO of the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, Diane Yentel, slammed the response by New York Mayor Eric Adams in a tweet, saying “This is not leadership”.

VOCAL-NY criticises ‘dehumanization of people experiencing homelessness'

Thursday 4 May 2023 23:30 , Gustaf Kilander

The Director of Organizing at VOCAL-NY, an organisation that advocates for “low-income people affected by HIV/AIDS, the drug war, mass incarceration, and homelessness”, spoke out about the death of Neely on Wednesday.

“We are living in a state where a Mayor and Governor successfully campaigned to keep poor people in jails, flooded our subways with cops, and a white man can kill a Black man and be released without charge,” Jawanza Williams said in a statement. “The murder of Jordan Neely is a direct result of the sustained political, systemic abandonment and dehumanization of people experiencing homelessness and mental health complexities, fueled by press coverage that clearly influences policies and emboldens vigilantes.”

“People have been deputized by Mayor Adams’ and Governor Hochul’s hyper-conservative, fear-mongering rhetoric and now a man has been lynched,” he added. “Neely’s blood is on their hands, and any semblance of justice here requires accountability and a reversal of Adams’ austerity budget and Hochul to stop blocking progressive policy in Albany.”

Coalition for the Homeless slams ‘Mayor Adams’ complete failure to provide the critical mental health services'

Thursday 4 May 2023 23:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Dave Giffen, the Executive Director of the Coalition for the Homeless, said in a statement on Wednesday that “This horrific incident is yet another reminder of Governor Hochuls’ and Mayor Adams’ complete failure to provide the critical mental health services desperately needed by so many people in our city”.

“What’s more, the fact that someone who took the life of a distressed, mentally-ill human being on a subway could be set free without facing any consequences is shocking and evidences the City’s callous indifference to the lives of those who are homeless and psychiatrically unwell,” he added. “This is an absolute travesty that must be investigated immediately.”

Governor Hochul says Neely was ‘killed for being a passenger on the subway trains'

Thursday 4 May 2023 22:30 , Gustaf Kilander

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said on Thursday that “I do want to acknowledge how horrific it was to view a video of Jordan Neely being killed for being a passenger on the subway trains”.

“Our hearts go out to his family. I’m really pleased that the district attorney is looking into this matter,” she added. “As I said, there had to be consequences, and so we’ll see how this unfolds. But his family deserves justice.”

“No one has the right to take the life of another person,” she said. “This was an unarmed individual who had been on the subway many times, known by many of the regular travellers.”

“And you know, sometimes people have an episode where they’re displaying their feelings in a loud and emotional way, but it became very clear that he was not going to cause harm to these other people,” she added.

The governor said the video showed “three individuals holding him down until the last breath was snuffed out of him. I would say it was a very extreme response”.

The comments come following her statement on Wednesday, when she said, “People who are homeless in our subways, many of them in the throes of mental health episodes, and that’s what I believe were some of the factors involved here. There [are] consequences for behaviour”.

In a tweet, Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado simply said, “The consequences for mental health problems in New York should not be death”.

‘The system failed him’: Relatives speak out after Jordan Neely subway chokehold killing

Thursday 4 May 2023 22:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Relatives of Jordan Neely have spoken out following the killing of the 30-year-old homeless man in an incident on the New York subway.

His death on Monday has been ruled a homicide after he was filmed being placed in a chokehold by a subway passenger after acting in an erratic manner, frustrated about his personal situation.

The homicide ruling doesn’t decide intent or culpability.

The video, filmed by journalist Juan Alberto Vazquez, shows a man identified as Jordan Neely, 30, ranting aggressively and throwing his jacket on the ground when the commuter intervenes.

The passenger, whose name has not been released by police, pinned Neely to the ground in a chokehold for approximately 15 minutes, leaving him unconscious, according to the New York Post.

Read more:

Relatives speak out after Jordan Neely subway chokehold killing

Black Lives Matter and NAACP join Democrats in calling for accountability in Jordan Neely killing

Thursday 4 May 2023 21:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Black Lives Matter and the NAACP joined the growing number of Democrats calling for accountability in the chokehold killing of 30-year-old homeless man Jordan Neely.

The death of Neely on the New York Subway has been ruled a homicide after the 30-year-old homeless man was filmed being placed in a chokehold after acting in an erratic manner, frustrated about his personal situation.

The homicide ruling doesn’t decide intent or criminal culpability.

New York Mayor Eric Adams came under fire for his lack of rebuke following Neely’s death, including from Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who called out Mr Adams for “not being able to condemn a public murder”.

Appearing on CNN, Mr Adams said, “We cannot just blanketly say what a passenger should or should not do in a situation like that.”

Read more:

BLM and NAACP join Democrats in calling for accountability in Jordan Neely killing

VOICES: New York was not a ‘safe city’ for Jordan Neely

Thursday 4 May 2023 21:00 , Noah Berlatsky

“We are making our city safer every day,” New York mayor Eric Adams boasted at the end of 2022. Adams has made law-and-order policing a central talking point of his administration, and he has continually claimed that he’s turning New York into a safer city.

After the events of this week, though, it’s clear that we need to ask “a safer city for who?” On Monday, a Black houseless man with a history of mental illness, Jordan Neely, was shouting at passengers on the New York subway. Witnesses said he did not physically assault or harm anyone. But a so-far unnamed white 24-year-old ex-Marine decided Neely needed to be subdued. He put him in a neckhold and, as bystanders watched, he choked Neely to death.

New York was not safe for Jordan Neely. Democratic State Senator Julia Salazar compared his horrific killing to a lynching – the public extermination of a Black, marginalized person in the name of restoring public order.

Read more:

New York was not safe for Jordan Neely | Voices

‘Jordan Neely’s murder is a heartbreaking tragedy'

Thursday 4 May 2023 20:30 , Gustaf Kilander

In a statement, New York Representative Dan Goldman, who represents the area where the incident took place, said that “Jordan Neely’s murder is a heartbreaking tragedy”.

“Mental illness should never be a death sentence, and he would still be with us in a more caring and compassionate society. We need to better address the mental health crisis in our city and country,” he added.

Jordan Neely grew up to be known as an expert Michael Jackson impersonator

Thursday 4 May 2023 20:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Jordan Neely grew up to be known as an expert Michael Jackson impersonator, performing on the subway and in Times Square, his skills evident in a number of videos widely shared on social media in the wake of his death.

‘The whole system just failed him,’ aunt says

Thursday 4 May 2023 19:30 , Joe Sommerlad

The deceased’s aunt, Carolyn Neely, told The Post: “My sister Christie was murdered in 2007 and after that, he has never been the same.

“It had a big impact on him. He developed depression and it grew and became more serious. He was schizophrenic, PTSD. Doctors knew his condition and he needed to be treated for that.

“The whole system just failed him. He fell through the cracks of the system.”

Neely’s father speaks out

Thursday 4 May 2023 19:00 , Joe Sommerlad

The victim’s father, Andre Zachery, has since given an interview to The New York Daily News in which he said that he had not seen his son for four years but that Neely had experienced tragedy as a teenager when his mother, Christine Neely, 36, was murdered by her boyfriend Shawn Southerland.

Her body was found in a suitcase by the side of the Henry Hudson Parkway in the Bronx in 2007 and Jordan Neely had testified at Southerland’s trial aged 18, which ultimately saw the defendant convicted and sentenced to 30 years in jail in 2012.

“His mother perished; she also got killed. And him now? Her boyfriend fatally shot her. And he now? By another person?” Mr Zachery said.

NYC officials drift apart in reactions to Neely’s death

Thursday 4 May 2023 18:30 , Gustaf Kilander

New York officials began drifting apart as they reacted to the news of Neely’s death.

City Comptroller Brad Lander tweeted on Tuesday that “NYC is not Gotham. We must not become a city where a mentally ill human being can be choked to death by a vigilante without consequences. Or where the killer is justified & cheered”.

“Jordan Neely was murdered. But bc Jordan was houseless and crying for food in a time when the city is raising rents and stripping services to militarize itself while many in power demonize the poor, the murderer gets protected w/ passive headlines + no charges,” Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “It’s disgusting.”

Mayor Eric Adams appeared on CNN, criticising other elected officials for seeming to be getting ahead of Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg.

“I don’t think that’s very responsible at a time when we are still investigating the situation. Let’s let the DA conduct his investigation with law enforcement officials,” the mayor said. “To interfere with that is not the right thing to do.”

From Michael Jackson impersonator to harrowing death: Who was the homeless man killed on the NYC subway?

Thursday 4 May 2023 18:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man, was killed in a New York City subway train on Monday afternoon after he apparently suffered a mental health episode, leading a fellow passenger to wrestle him to the floor with the help of two others, holding him in a chokehold.

The shocking incident was captured on phone video at the scene, sparking debate among New Yorkers about the rights and wrongs of the vigilante’s actions and the extent to which Neely’s behaviour could have been interpreted as a threat to the safety of his fellow passengers.

Eyewitness Juan Alberto Vazquez, a freelance journalist, told The New York Post precisely what happened after Neely boarded the northbound F train at Second Avenue station.

“He starts to make a speech. He started screaming in an aggressive manner,” Mr Vazquez said.

“He said he had no food, he had no drink, that he was tired and doesn’t care if he goes to jail. He started screaming all these things, took off his jacket, a black jacket that he had, and threw it on the ground.”

Read more:

Who was the homeless Michael Jackson impersonator killed on the NYC subway?

PHOTOS: New Yorkers march to protest death of Jordan Neely

Thursday 4 May 2023 17:30 , Gustaf Kilander

‘We cannot just blanketly say what a passenger should or should not do,’ mayor says

Thursday 4 May 2023 17:00 , Gustaf Kilander

‘Jordan was houseless and crying for food in a time when the city is raising rents and stripping services'

Thursday 4 May 2023 16:30 , Gustaf Kilander

New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Wednesday evening that “Jordan Neely was murdered. But bc Jordan was houseless and crying for food in a time when the city is raising rents and stripping services to militarize itself while many in power demonize the poor, the murderer gets protected w/ passive headlines + no charges. It’s disgusting”.

“It is appalling how so many take advantage of headlines re: crime for an obsolete ‘tough on crime’ political, media, & budgetary gain, but when a public murder happens that reinforces existing power structures, those same forces rush to exonerate&look the other way. We shouldn’t,” she added.

Podcaster Keith Olbermann replied: “It was as much a vigilante act as Bernie Goetz. Arrest the SOB.”

Goetz shot four African American men on the New York Subway in 1984.

VIDEO: Protesters chant on NYC subway to demand charges over killing of homeless man

Thursday 4 May 2023 16:05 , The Independent

New York City council speaker Adrienne Adams issues statement

Thursday 4 May 2023 15:45 , Gustaf Kilander

New York City council speaker Adrienne Adams

DA urges anyone with information to come forward

Thursday 4 May 2023 15:25 , Gustaf Kilander

A spokesperson at the Manhattan DA’s office said in a statement:

“This is a solemn and serious matter that ended in the tragic loss of Jordan Neely’s life.

“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.

“This investigation is being handled by senior, experienced prosecutors and we will provide an update when there is additional public information to share.

“The Manhattan D.A.’s Office encourages anyone who witnessed or has information about this incident to call 212-335-9040.”

‘A new low’: AOC blasts New York Mayor’s statement after Neely’s death

Thursday 4 May 2023 15:10 , Ariana Baio

“This honestly feels like a new low,” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on Twitter on Wednesday in response to a Mr Adams’ statement.

“Not being able to clearly condemn a public murder because the victim was of a social status some would deem ‘too low’ to care about,” Ms Ocasio-Cortez added. “The last sentence is especially rich from an admin trying to cut the very services that could have helped him.”

Eric Adams and AOC clash over killing of homeless man placed in chokehold by NYC subway passenger

Thursday 4 May 2023 14:55 , Ariana Baio

New York City Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pushed back on a statement issued by New York City Mayor Eric Adams on the murder of a man riding the subway saying Mr Adams reached “a new low.”

Mr Adams issued a statement on Wednesday, as reported by Gotham Gazette journalist Ben Max, in which he addressed the murder of an unhoused man on a New York City subway.

“Any loss of life is tragic,” Mr Adams’ statement began. “There’s a lot we don’t know about what happened here, so I’m going to refrain from commenting further.”

“However, we do know there were serious mental health issues in play here which is why our administration has made record investment in providing care to those who ended it and getting people off the streets and subways, and out of dangerous situations,” the statement continued.

The unhoused man, identified as 30-year-old Jordan Neely, was killed after being placed in a chokehold by a subway passenger- something Mr Adams did not address in his statement.

Read more:

Eric Adams and AOC clash over killing of homeless man on NYC subway

‘Jordan Neely, say his name!’: Death of 30-year-old spark New York protests

Thursday 4 May 2023 14:40 , Rachel Sharp

On Wednesday, the medical examiner officially ruled Neely’s death a homicide and determined that it was caused by the chokehold.

But, despite the ruling, the 24-year-old veteran has not been arrested over his death – sparking outrage among New Yorkers.

A large group of protesters gathered inside the East Houston and Lafayette subway station on Wednesday demanding charges be brought against Neely’s accused killer.

They chanted “Jordan Neely, say his name!” and “F*** Eric Adams” as they were met by a heavy NYPD presence.

Protesters gather on NYC subway demanding charges as chokehold death of homeless man is ruled a homicide

Thursday 4 May 2023 14:25 , Rachel Sharp

Protesters gathered on a New York City subway platform on Wednesday demanding justice for a homeless man after his death was ruled a homicide.

Jordan Neely, 30, died when a Marine veteran, 24, placed him in a chokehold on board an F Train in Manhattan on Monday afternoon.

Disturbing cellphone footage, circulating online, shows the veteran – who has not been publicly named – wrestling Neely to the floor before pinning him in a chokehold.

Neely, who used to be a Michael Jackson impersonator at Times Square, was held in the chokehold for almost three minutes while two other passengers were also seen helping to restrain him.

The 30-year-old lost consciousness and was rushed to hospital. He never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead that day.

Read more:

Protesters gather on NYC subway as Jordan Neely’s chokehold death is ruled a homicide

Death of 30-year-old Jordan Neely ruled homicide

Thursday 4 May 2023 14:11 , Gustaf Kilander

The death of Jordan Neely, 30, has been ruled a homicide.

The homeless man died on Monday because of “compression of neck (chokehold),” a New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner spokesperson said, according to CNN.

That ruling doesn’t decide intent or culpability.

Manhattan District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Doug Cohen said in a statement that “This is a solemn and serious matter that ended in the tragic loss of Jordan Neely’s life”.

“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,” he added.