Death of man put in chokehold on NYC subway ruled a homicide

NEW YORK — A man who allegedly made threats and harassed subway train riders in New York City died after another passenger placed him in a chokehold, authorities said. A medical examiner ruled the man’s death a homicide on Wednesday.

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According to the medical examiner’s office, Jordan Neely, 30, died from “compression of neck (chokehold),” WCBS-TV reported.

Neely was riding on a northbound train in Manhattan on Monday when police said he began “acting erratically” at about 2:30 p.m. EDT, WABC-TV reported.

“I don’t have food, I don’t have to drink, I’m fed up … I don’t mind going to jail and getting life in prison … I’m ready to die,” Neely allegedly said in a video recorded by Juan Alberto Vazquez, a freelance journalist. Vazquez posted the incident on his Facebook page, “Luces de Nueva York,” according to The New York Times.

Authorities said a 24-year-old passenger, who is reportedly a Marine, walked behind Neely and put him in a chokehold, according to WPIX-TV.

In the video recorded by Vazquez, Neely can be seen flailing his arms and kicking his legs as he attempted to free himself from the man’s grasp, the Times reported.

Neely eventually lost consciousness and was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, WABC reported.

According to Vazquez, Neely was held down for at least two minutes before he became motionless. Several people continued to hold him down for another 50 seconds before he was released, according to the Times.

The man can be seen holding Neely in a headlock while a second passenger pinned his arms, The Associated Press reported. A third person held down Neely’s shoulder, according to the news organization.

Officers later questioned the passenger who put Neely into the chokehold and released him, according to the Times.

Vazquez told the newspaper in an interview on Tuesday that Neely’s actions were scary, but he had not assaulted anyone.

“It was a very tense situation because you don’t know what he’s going to do afterwards,” Vazquez told the Times.

Despite the conclusion by the medical examiner’s office, it is up to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to decide whether to prosecute the train rider, WABC reported. An investigation is ongoing.