Police say an alleged fare dodger died when he broke his neck jumping over a train station barrier in a freak accident.
Cops and paramedics responded to calls of a man lying unconscious on the mezzanine floor of a subway station in Queens, New York City, where he was later pronounced dead.
Police say Christopher De La Cruz, 28, died on Sunday morning at the scene at the subway station in Queens, New York City.
De La Cruz is believed to have jumped the barriers, tripped and cracked his head on the concrete floor, NYPD said.
Police reportedly told the New York Post he was “attempting to evade the fare” when tragedy struck.
Horrifying CCTV footage, which has been widely shared online, shows De La Cruz trying to jump over the turnstile as he entered the station.
He is seen falling and appears to drop his phone before stumbling back and making repeated attempts to hop over another turnstile
De La Cruz, who was wearing a black backpack, is then seen losing his balance and flipping over the barrier.
He then comes crashing down and smashes his head on the floor before laying motionless.
The subway ride costs $2.75 (£2.04).
De La Cruz was the father of a four-year-old boy, the Daily News, De La Cruz reports.
His cause of death has yet to be confirmed by a medical examiner but police believe he broke his neck.
Jose De La Cruz, the man's father, told Daily News: "What can I say? He did a mistake."
Yesterday, another video was shared online showing an 85-year-old woman getting slammed into a wall in a New York City apartment building.
A thief was seen dragging the helpless woman out of a lift by her cane before rifling through her bag.
Police shared CCTV of robbery, which happened on Monday afternoon in the Bronx, as the city grabbles with an increase in crime.
It comes as newly-inaugurated New York City Mayor Eric Adams, 61, has vowed to take a tougher stance on crime than his predecessor Bill de Blasio.
