Posted on 05/18/23
| News Source: NY Post
A straphanger who witnessed the fatal subway confrontation between Daniel Penny and Jordan Neely earlier this month called Penny a “hero” for restraining the homeless man before his death.
The 66-year-old woman, who asked not to be identified, also said she’d testify on behalf of Penny, 24, who was charged last week with second-degree manslaughter over the deadly encounter.
The witness told The Post that Neely, 30, went on an explosive tirade just before his caught-on-camera death, telling people he was willing to “kill a motherf—-er” and “[take] a bullet” and go to jail.
Neely’s erratic behavior put commuters on the F train subway car on edge as they hurtled between stations in Manhattan, the witness said.
“The rhetoric from Mr. Neely was very frightening, it was very harsh,” the witness told The Post. “People that travel the subway see and hear everything – this was different. And frightening.
“People were gravitating towards the exit doors, and we couldn’t get out because we were still between stations,” she continued. “People exited quickly [when we pulled in], and people were trying to call 911 when they were in the train … I sensed danger.”