The death of Jordan Neely has been labeled a homicide as protesters took to the New York City subway system to protest the death of the beloved homeless Michael Jackson impersonator at the hands of a Navy veteran.
Jordan Neely, 30, was screaming and pacing aboard an F train in Manhattan Monday afternoon, witnesses and police said, when he was taken to the ground by a 24-year-old U.S. Navy veteran from Long Island who was between broadcasts.
Myles Miller of NBC New York was the first report that Neely’s death had been ruled a homicide caused by neck compression. The decision of whether or not to prosecute the Marine is made by the District Attorney’s office.
A video of the altercation posted online by a freelance journalist showed the man lying under Neely holding him in a headlock for several minutes as Neely tried to escape but failed to break free.
A second passenger held Neely’s arms while a third held his shoulder. It was unclear why the group had moved to contain him. Neely lost consciousness and was pronounced dead at a Manhattan hospital soon after.
On Wednesday, protesters began to gather at the Broadway-Lafayette subway station in New York City, from where Neely was taken to the hospital, to protest his death. Chants of ‘black lives matter’, ‘justice for Jordan Neely’, ‘F*** Eric Adams’ and ‘the homeless matter’ were heard, reports Gothamist.
Jordan Neely’s death was ruled a homicide, his death being caused by neck compression
Protesters have taken to the New York City subway system to protest the death of a beloved homeless Michael Jackson impersonator at the hands of a Navy veteran
Protesters began to gather at the Broadway-Lafayette subway station in New York City, from where Neely was taken to the hospital, to protest his death
Chants of “Black Lives Matter,” “Justice for Jordan Neely,” “F*** Eric Adams,” and “The Homeless Matter” were heard
NYPD officers could be seen entering the subway platform with bundles of zip ties
According to a flyer circulating on Facebook, the protest was to begin at 3 p.m. on Wednesday
The 24-year-old Long Island Navy veteran accused of killing Neely has not been identified
A spokesman for the Manhattan District Attorney said an investigation was underway
NYPD officers could be seen entering the subway platform with bundles of zip ties. At the time of writing, no fewer than four arrests have been made at the protests, an independent journalist reports Liam Quigley.
According to a flyer circulating on Facebook, the protest was to begin at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
The robber was taken into custody and released without charge. His name has not been made public. A spokesman for the Manhattan District Attorney said an investigation was underway.
Contacted by the New York daily news on Wednesday, the Marine declined to answer questions.
‘I don’t answer questions. I appreciate it, but I don’t answer questions,” he said.
Also on Wednesday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the video, saying it was “deeply disturbing,” but declined to say whether the state would investigate it as a criminal case.
As news of Neely’s death spread online, some New Yorkers recalled meeting him during the years when he performed as a Michael Jackson impersonator, often in the Times Square transit center.
At the time of writing, as many as four arrests have been reported at the protest
New York Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the video, saying it was “deeply disturbing,” but declined to say whether the state would investigate it as a criminal case
His death comes amid a period of heightened public attention for both homelessness and mental illness on the streets and subways of New York City.
After several high-profile incidents, including a subway shooting that left 10 people injured last year, Mayor Eric Adams pledged to deploy additional police officers and mental health workers throughout the transit system.
Video of Monday’s encounter drew strong backlash from New Yorkers and officials, with some describing the act as a deadly overreaction to a person suffering from mental illness and others defending the Marine’s actions.
That was told by the freelance journalist who documented the incident, Juan Alberto Vazquez the New York Post that Neely yelled “aggressively” and complained of hunger and thirst.
Neely did not physically attack anyone, Vazquez said, adding that the 24-year-old approached the man after throwing his jacket on the floor.
The video begins with Neely already on the floor of the subway, with the man’s left arm around Neely’s neck, locked in his other arm against the man’s head.
Neely is held in a headlock by the 24-year-old bystander. The two struggled before Neely passed out
A second man holds Neely’s outstretched arm as he presses the other hand against his body. Neely is mostly silent, but tries to wrestle herself out of the headlock half a minute later. Eventually he goes limp.
Dave Giffen, the executive director of Coalition for the Homeless, blamed city and state officials for an inadequate response to the mental health crisis and questioned why the Marine was not facing criminal charges.
“The fact that someone who took the life of an ailing, mentally ill human being could be released on a subway without suffering any consequences is shocking,” he said. “This is an absolute travesty that needs to be investigated immediately.”
Those calls were echoed by several democratically elected officials, who described the incident as a low point for the city.
A spokesman for the mayor praised his government’s investment in mental health initiatives, but declined to comment directly on Neely’s death, noting, “There’s a lot we don’t know about what happened here.”
Tribute videos posted online show a loyal fanbase who enjoyed crossing Neely on their daily commute. Some were concerned when he went missing early last year, according to YouTube comments.
Jason Williams, an actor, remembered meeting Neely when he first moved to the city in 2007. When he was a teen, Neely was a deft Michael Jackson impersonator, Williams said, asking for donations as he walked the subway and lip-synching to “Billie Jean.” .’
“He epitomized the hustle and bustle of New York,” Williams said. “He was a great artist and it is a real tragedy that he was so senselessly murdered.”