OAN Staff Blake Wolf
5:43 PM – Monday, December 30, 2024
The founder of the Guardian Angels revealed that the vigilante group will resume patrols of the New York City subway system following the shocking arson murder of a woman on a subway car last week.
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The Guardian Angels, founded in 1979, is a volunteer vigilante patrol squad, founded by Curtis Sliwa.
“We’re going to have to increase our numbers, increase the training and increase our presence as we did back in 1979,” Sliwa stated on Sunday at the Stillwell Avenue-Coney Island subway station, where a woman was killed after being lit on fire by an illegal migrant, which authorities believe was intentional.
“We went from 13 to 1,000 [members] back then within a period of a year,” Sliwa continued. “Because the need was there. The need is here now once again. We’re going to step up. We’re going to make sure we have a visual presence just like we had in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.”
Sliwa added that the group of around 150 members are going to be conducting “wellness checks” on homeless people and emotionally disturbed individuals on the subway, reporting any potential issues to the New York Police Department.
“We’re covering the actual trains from front to back, walking through the trains and making sure that everything is okay,” he stated. “We’re doing this constantly now. Starting today. That’s going to be our complete focus because the subways are out of control.”
Sliwa continued, stating that the lack of a police presence on the subway cars is a major issue.
“We’re now back to where we were when I started the group in 1979 on the subways. It’s gone full circle. I’ve never seen it this bad. Never,” Sliwa stated.
The Guardian Angel founder added that he hopes the group’s presence will encourage train riders to look out for each other and avoid being helpless bystanders to subway crime.
“Nobody did anything a week ago,” he stated, referencing the woman who was set on fire. “Nobody intervened. Nobody pointed to the cops and said ‘This is the guy.’ Even the cops didn’t do anything.”
“It was an example of people just not getting involved. And we’re here to say, ‘You see something, you say something.’ You gotta do something,” Sliwa added.
Meanwhile, NYC Mayor Eric Adams (D-N.Y.) argued that the rate of crime on the subways is decreasing, citing a reported increase in police presence, conflicting with Sliwa’s criticism.
“The mayor surged 1,000 police officers per day into the subways, has brought down overall crime and transit crime, delivering real action – not theatrics – but he knows there’s still more work to be done,” stated City Hall representative Kayla Mamalek.
“Mayor Adams is committed to improving the lives of New Yorkers, which is why he frequently rides the subway to speak directly with everyday riders about how we can make it safer,” she added.
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