Outrage as passengers look on while a woman was raped on a train

A man was charged with raping a woman on a train as fellow passengers watched. The incident, which lasted for more than 40 minutes, took place outside of Philadelphia, and had train riders looking on without calling the police.

Detached Bystanders

Authorities said, Fiston Ngoy, 35, harassed the woman, groped her and eventually raped her through more than 25 stops. Police believe no one called the appropriate authorities to intervene.

They are also investigating whether any of the witnesses may have recorded the incident. Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority Police Chief Thomas Nestel said the incident was shocking.

What we want is everyone to be angry and disgusted and to be resolute about making the system safer. I can tell you that people were holding their phone up in the direction of this woman being attacked

Both the man and woman got on the train at the same stop last Wednesday night in North Philadelphia. It was an off-duty transportation authority employee who called 911. The police arrived within three minutes of that call and pulled the man off the victim at the last stop.

‘Horrendous Criminal Act’

The Southern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) later issued a statement, calling the attack a ‘horrendous criminal act’. It also called on people to report such incidents to authorities immediately.

There were other people on the train who witnessed this horrific act, and it may have been stopped sooner if a rider called 911.

Ngoy, whose last listed address is a homeless shelter, told police that he knew the victim and that she had consented. The woman denied this and said he ignored her pleas for him to stay off her.

Ngoy remains in custody on an $180,000 bail, with his initial court appearance is scheduled for October 25