A subway rider in Manhattan stepped in to pin down a ranting passenger, Jordan Neely, on a northbound F train, who started screaming in an aggressive manner, according to a witness. The straphanger, a Marine veteran, put Neely in a chokehold and kept him in that position for about 15 minutes. The train was halted at the Broadway-Lafayette Street/Bleecker Street station. Neely, who was living on the streets and had a history of mental health issues passed out following the chokehold, and the EMS workers at the station could not revive him.

The Marine veteran was taken into custody and later released without charges. The reason for his release is yet to be established. The disposition of the case is still ongoing. The key issue is, did the Marine veteran cross the line by using the chokehold which contributed to Neely's death? The medical examiner will have a final say on the cause of death. It was recorded that Neely had not assaulted anyone before his death. His lengthy arrest record suggests that the mental health and criminal justice systems in New York City failed him.