Guardian Angels patrol NYC subway after horrific attack

The Alliance of Guardian Angels over the weekend began monitoring subway trains throughout the city after an attacker last week set fire to a woman, killing her. Organization founder Curtis Sliwa on Sunday said 150 volunteers would be on duty at hubs like the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station. That station is the last stop for the F train and has become a common area where homeless individuals stay during the winter, according to local news outlet amNew York. The Guardian Angels are planning to increase their presence to levels not seen in several decades, Sliwa said.

What are the Guardian Angels? Sliwa founded the organization in 1979 to serve the community and conduct unarmed patrols in the subways amid rising crime rates in New York City. The organization provides medical and food assistance to homeless individuals, mentors youth, and offers self-defense courses, according to the group’s website. The non-faith-based group has chapters in cities around the world. Sliwa is a former Republican candidate for New York City mayor. 

Dig deeper: Read Hunter Baker’s opinion piece about how Daniel Penny sought to protect his fellow subway passengers.