Brooklyn man Yaw Boahene killed after bag becomes caught in subway train doors

A 57-year-old man identified as Yaw Boahene has died in Brooklyn, New York, after his shopping bag became caught in the doors of a subway train, causing him to be dragged onto the tracks.

The incident occurred on Monday at the Utica Avenue station in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighbourhood as Mr Boahene was exiting a Manhattan-bound train.

According to ABC7, citing investigators, the bag became trapped between the train doors as the train began moving. Mr Boahene was dragged backwards, pulled between two train cars and onto the tracks.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) said it received a 911 call about the incident at about 6:05 p.m. ET.

“Upon arrival, officers were informed that a 57-year-old male was discovered unconscious and unresponsive on the roadbed of the northbound ‘A’ train. EMS responded and pronounced [the man] deceased [at the] scene,” police said in a statement.

The NYPD said Mr Boahene was from Brooklyn.

The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner is expected to determine the cause of death, while the investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

A witness who spoke to ABC7 said she was returning home from school when the incident occurred, describing a scene that caused panic among passengers on the subway platform.

The incident comes amid continued concerns over subway-related accidents in New York City.

In 2022, a 20-year-old man was killed after his clothes became caught between the doors of a No. 1 train at the Columbus Circle station in Manhattan during rush hour.

According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), subway customer accidents increased by 2% in 2025. However, the MTA said ridership grew at a faster rate than accidents, resulting in a 4.7% decrease in the 12-month accident rate.