Jordan Neely: Everything to know about shocking subway death in New York
Rachel Schilke
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The death of Jordan Neely, a New York homeless man who died after a transit rider placed him in a chokehold, has made national headlines after medical examiners ruled his death a homicide.
Video footage of the incident has circulated on social media, causing widespread protests in New York, even extending down into the subway, where Neely was killed.
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Here is what to know about the incident.
Who is Jordan Neely?
Jordan Neely, 30, was a homeless black man who was known for being a Michael Jackson impersonator and performing in Times Square.
Neely was screaming on the subway about how he did not have anything to eat or drink, with witnesses saying he was behaving in a “hostile and erratic manner.”
What happened on the subway?
Sometime after Neely began screaming on the subway, with some witnesses saying he was throwing trash and yelling at passengers, a 24-year-old white man approached him and moved to restrain him.
In a video posted by freelance journalist Juan Alberto Vazquez, the 24-year-old had placed Neely in a chokehold while two other men assisted. Neely pushed off one of the men holding down his arms and kicked his legs, trying to free himself.
“‘I don’t have food. I don’t have a drink. I’m fed up,’” Neely had screamed, according to Vazquez. “I don’t mind going to jail and getting life in prison. I’m ready to die.”
However, Vasquez said Neely was frightening but had not assaulted anyone.
The video shows Neely being held down for at least two minutes before he stopped moving. The men held him down for another 50 seconds before releasing him, with someone on the train saying, “He’ll be all right,” as onlookers viewed his motionless body.
Police become involved
New York Police Department officers responded to a 911 call around 2:27 p.m. about a fight that had broken out on an F train. Police arrived to find Neely unconscious on the train.
Neely was taken to Lenox Health Hospital in Greenwich Village on Monday afternoon and was later pronounced dead.
Authorities said they took the 24-year-old into custody. After questioning him, they let him go without charging him. The 24-year-old’s name has not been released by police, but sources told multiple outlets that he was a former Marine, per CBS News.
Officers told CBS News that Neely had more than 40 prior arrests and had an active warrant out for his arrest on a felony assault charge.
Neely’s death ruled a homicide
On Wednesday, the New York Office of Chief Medical Examiner released the cause of death as “compression of neck” or a “chokehold” and ruled Neely’s death a homicide.
No charges of homicide have been delivered in the case involving Neely’s death as of Thursday. The medical examiner’s cause of death ruling itself does not determine intent or culpability.
Rev. Al Sharpton, a renowned civil rights activist and the president of the National Action Network, released a statement on Wednesday demanding justice for Neely’s death.
“The National Action Network demands the District Attorney and police investigate this horrific incident as a potential case of manslaughter — if not murder,” Sharpton said. “We hope the family of Jordan Neely will come forward so NAN can ensure he is funeralized properly and decently.”
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said it would investigate the situation.
“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,” an office spokesperson said in a statement.
Protesters and advocates call for justice
Protesters gathered Wednesday afternoon at the station where Neely was choked, calling for an arrest of the 24-year-old man.
Neely’s death has drawn attention to the rising problem of homelessness and mental illness in New York. Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) have increased police presence and deployed mental health workers in subways over the last year.
However, Executive Director Dave Giffen of the Coalition for the Homeless reprimanded the two politicians for their “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,” Giffen said Wednesday. “This is an absolute travesty that must be investigated immediately.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) tweeted out her thoughts on Neely’s death, saying he was “murdered” and placing blame on the city.
“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,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “It’s disgusting.”
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Adams responded to calls from protesters and activists, saying that he would refrain from commenting further on the situation while an investigation is underway.
“Any loss of life is tragic. We do know there were serious mental health issues in play here, which is why our administration has made record investments in providing care to those who need it and getting people off the streets and the subways, and out of dangerous situations. And I need all election officials and advocacy groups to join us in prioritizing getting people the care they need and not just allowing them to languish,” the mayor said in a statement.