Subway surfing boy, 14, falls off NYC train
Survivor of subway surfing shares a warning for others
Isa Islam was just 12 days shy of his 18th birthday when he decided to subway surf in 2013. Ten years later, he now bears the scars of his decision. FOX 5 New York's Arthur Chi'en reports.
QUEENS - A 14-year-old boy was injured after he reportedly fell off a NYC train while subway surfing in Queens, the NYPD said.
The incident happened on Friday around 10:30 a.m. on a northbound 7 train as it was entering the 103rd Street–Corona Plaza station in Corona.
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According to police, the boy was found conscious and alert on the train tracks when officers arrived. He was transported to Harlem Hospital in stable condition.
Last year, the MTA, along with New York City, launched a new, comprehensive public information campaign to alert young people to the dangers of subway surfing.
NYC campaign takes on subway surfing
A new initiative aims to use young people's voices to deter other teens from subway surfing, while getting social media companies to remove videos of the dangerous stunt from their platforms.
The initiative is called "Subway Surfing Kills - Ride Inside, Stay Alive," and will center around using young people's voices to deter other teens from doing the dangerous stunt.
"The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority," NY Gov. Kathy Hochul said during the campaign announcement. "Through this innovative partnership, young New Yorkers will hear directly from their teachers and peers about the extreme danger of subway surfing, saving lives and preventing more tragedies. New York will continue to do everything we can to keep our young people safe on the subways."
According to MTA data, subway surfing generally happens during warmer months when school is in session, a kind of thrill-seeking after-school activity.
NYPD working to prevent subway surfing
The NYPD has begun putting police officers at subway stations across the city to ensure safety after a 14-year-old was killed and another was seriously injured while subway surfing on Thursday.
In response, the new campaign will include public service announcements in stations recorded by students, digital signage across stations, student-created graphics and animations, posters and banners across stations and distributed in schools, and more.