New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other state officials are urging residents to call local law enforcement if they see people attempting to “subway surf” following the deaths of multiple individuals—predominantly teenagers—who took part in the social media stunt.
The mayor urged the public to call 911 if they see anyone attempting to take part in the dangerous stunt, in which individuals ride on the outside of a moving train.
In a statement, Adams called subway surfing “a deadly trap” and said more and more young people are being encouraged to join the trend after seeing others do it on social media.
“But those five minutes of online fame could lead to years of regret and pain, or a lifetime of trauma and heartbreak for a family that loses a child,” said Adams.
“Think about what riding on top of trains really means: the possibility of death and your family, in grief, wondering what more they could have done to protect you.”
The mayor also highlighted his administration’s efforts to combat the dangerous trend, noting NYPD is deploying drones and field response teams to areas experiencing the highest number of complaints of subway surfing.
The drones are able to canvass moving trains for subway surfers, and, once found, officers can hold the train at the next station until the individuals are removed, he said.
“To date, this program has helped save the lives of 114 individuals—ranging from nine years old to 33 years old, and the average age being 14 years old,” Adams’s office stated.
The campaign, aimed at deterring the trend among young people, includes messaging inside trains, stations, and schools warning of the dangers of subway surfing.
Despite the campaign and the lawsuit, Adams’s office said six young people have died from subway surfing in 2024, including the latest teen death last week.
In 2023, five people died after taking part in the dangerous social media stunt, his office said.
