A terrifying scene unfolded aboard a New York City train when passengers were forced to escape through the windows after a woman allegedly made a series of terroristic threats.
According to a press release shared with People from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or the MTA, a train from New Canaan, Connecticut, scheduled to stop at Grand Central Terminal on Wednesday, September 16, was halted abruptly after a woman began “experiencing an emotional crisis,” with one witness telling MTA authorities that she said, “This will be your last day on earth.”
Frightened by the woman’s claims, another passenger proceeded to bring the train to a stop, pulling the emergency cord about 100 yards away from the platform.
According to the MTA, 60 people on board “self-evacuated the train” when it stopped. A report by ABC7NY notes that some of those passengers were so spooked that they exited through the train’s emergency windows before walking to the platform to safety, despite the MTA urging passengers not to get off the train and keeping the doors closed during the incident.
The incident had a ripple effect on transportation that day, with the Metro-North Railroad disconnecting the third rail and suspending train service to the Lower Level of Grand Central Station, the MTA said in its release. The MTA Police Department also responded and escorted those who were still on the tracks to the platform.
Once all passengers who had evacuated safely reached the platform, Metro-North restored service, allowing the train to pull up to the platform with the remaining 650 passengers inside.
According to the MTA’s release, no injuries were reported, though four passengers did undergo a stress evaluation.
The woman in question, later identified as 33-year-old Hannah Jane Santero, of Elmhurst, New York, was detained by the MTAPD and taken to Bellevue Hospital for evaluation, the press release notes. According to CBS New York, Santero is facing a felony charge of making a terroristic threat and a misdemeanor charge of making a threat of mass harm.
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