Fiston Ngoy: Pennsylvania man, 35, raped woman on train as passengers watched silently
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: In a shocking incident, a woman was raped by a homeless man on a commuter train in suburban Philadelphia this week in full view of passengers, who allegedly refused to help or even call 911. Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt of the Upper Darby Police Department said that the attack took place at around 10 pm on Wednesday, October 13, and was captured on surveillance video. The videos confirmed that other people were also present in the train car when the woman was attacked.
“Were they watching? I don’t know. Again, we’re still going through the video but there was a lot of people, in my opinion, that should’ve intervened. Somebody should’ve done something. It speaks to where we are in society. Who would allow something like that to take place? So it’s troubling but again, we’re working on that and we’re trying to identify anyone that we saw coming on and off the El at that time,” Philadelphia’s CBS-3 quoted Tim Bernhardt as saying.
READ MORE
Who is Aaron McDonald? Sex offender out on parole allegedly rapes 9-year-old girl
Tyler Isaacs: Masseur accused of raping 9-month pregnant woman at Lexington spa
Bernhardt said that in the end, it was an employee of a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority who called the police and said that “something wasn’t right” with a woman on the train. An agency spokesperson confirmed that SEPTA police, who were waiting at the next stop, were able to “apprehend the suspect in the act". A police officer eventually found the suspect, partially clothed, on the train and near the survivor. Fiston Ngoy, a 35-year-old homeless man, was arrested and charged with rape, aggravated indecent assault and related counts, police confirmed.
UPDATE: People video recorded rape on moving @SEPTA train, Market-Frankford Elevated Line last night. It was a Septa employee who boarded&called 911 many blocks/stop before police met at 69th Transportation Center&stopped attack victim“in shock clothes ripped off” @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/9gQBkLsfge
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) October 15, 2021
“The rape that occurred on SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line Wednesday night (Oct. 13) was a horrendous criminal act. The assault was observed by a SEPTA employee, who called 911, enabling SEPTA officers to respond immediately and apprehend the suspect in the act," SEPTA said in a statement released Friday, October 15. "There were other people on the train who witnessed this horrific act, and it may have been stopped sooner if a rider called 911. SEPTA urges anyone who observes a crime being committed or any dangerous situation occurring to report it.”
The survivor did not know her attacker. She was subsequently rushed to a hospital. Bernhardt said that the survivor was an “unbelievably strong woman” and provided police with a lot of information. “She’s on the mend,” Bernhardt said. “Hopefully she will get through this.”