Fiston Ngoy, a 35-year-old homeless man, was arrested this week in Philadelphia for allegedly raping a woman on a public transit train.
The sexual assault, which occurred around 11 p.m. on Wednesday, reportedly happened in front of other commuter train passengers. Officials say no one tried to help the victim.
A Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority employee called the police to report that “something wasn’t right” with a woman on the train who was riding the Market-Frankford line towards the town of Upper Darby.
SEPTA police waited for Ngoy at the next stop and caught him in the act. The suspect was charged with rape, aggravated indecent assault, and other related counts.
The man remains in jail because he cannot pay the bail that was set at $180,000. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was treated for injuries. Police describe her as “strong” for helping authorities in the investigation.
Surveillance video also captured the sexual assault, which made it possible for the charges to come faster.
Andrew Busch, a SEPTA spokesperson, said in a statement: “The assault was observed by a SEPTA employee, who called 911, enabling SEPTA officers to respond immediately and apprehend the suspect in the act.”
Busch hopes that witnesses will come forward with more information. He said: “The rape that occurred on SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line Wednesday night (Oct. 13) was a horrendous criminal act. There were other people on the train who witnessed this horrific act, and it may have been stopped sooner if a rider called 911.”
He also stated: “SEPTA urges anyone who observes a crime being committed or any dangerous situation occurring to report it. Anyone witnessing an emergency should immediately call 911.”
Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt of the Upper Darby Police Department was not pleased with the lack of reactions from other passengers.
He told the media: “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.”
He continued: “It speaks to where we are in society; I mean, who would allow something like that to take place? So it’s troubling.”
Mr. Bernhardt also added: “It’s disturbing. I’m shocked; I have no words for it. I just can’t imagine seeing what you were seeing through your own eyes and seeing what this woman was going through that no one would step in and help her.”
Sources have indicated that it was not Ngoy’s first encounter with authorities in the area.
