Jordan Neely, 30, was shouting and pacing aboard an F train in Manhattan on Monday afternoon, witnesses and police said, when he was taken to the floor by another passenger.
Video of the altercation posted online by a freelance journalist showed the man lying beneath Neely, holding him in a headlock position for several minutes as Neely tried and failed to break free. A second passenger pinned Neely’s arms while a third held down his shoulder. It was unclear why the group had moved to restrain him.
Neely lost consciousness during the struggle, according to a New York City Police Department spokesperson. EMTs and police arrived after the train stopped at a station. Neely was pronounced dead at a Manhattan hospital shortly after. The city’s medical examiner is investigating the cause of death. The 24-year-old subduer, a U.S. Marine veteran, was taken into custody and released without charges. His name has not been released publicly. A spokesperson for the Manhattan district attorney said an investigation was ongoing.