A man and woman, both 24, were killed early Sunday after being struck by a No. 4 subway train in Manhattan's Spring Street station, with sources suggesting they may have been too intoxicated to recognize the imminent danger. The victims have been identified as Kaul Navam and Malaika Chitre, both 24.
According to law-enforcement sources, Navam fell or entered the subway tracks first. Chitre then descended to the tracks in an apparent attempt to help him. Video footage of the incident, widely circulated on social media, shows the pair sitting on the tracks before being hit by the train around 3:15 a.m. Sources indicated that investigators are exploring the possibility of extreme intoxication as a factor, which might have impaired their awareness of the approaching train.
No suicide notes were found, and while suicide has not been ruled out, intoxication is being considered as a significant element in the circumstances leading to the fatal incident. The train operator was reportedly unable to stop the train in time as it entered the station.