Michael Jackson performer dies after chokehold on subway train
Jordan Neely, a Michael Jackson performer from New York, is dead.
Daniel James Penny (“Danny Penny”) put him in a chokehold and pushed him to the ground because Neely had allegedly been yelling on the subway. Citizens demand clarification.
In New York, 30-year-old Jordan Neely died violently on the subway. He allegedly started yelling around, after which a fellow passenger put him in a chokehold and pushed him to the ground. Coroners determined that Neely died from a crush injury to his neck.
Neely was known to some New Yorkers as a Michael Jackson impersonator who danced regularly in Manhattan, including on the subway.
Violent end: Jordan Neely (30) dies after stranglehold in subway
On Monday afternoon, he was reportedly agitated and shouting aggressively on the subway, witnesses indicated. A freelance journalist told The New York Times , Neely appeared frightening but did not attack anyone. He shouted that he had nothing to eat or drink, that he had had enough and that he didn’t care if he had to go to jail.
Three men then restrained him, including apparently a U.S. Armed Forces veteran named Daniel Penny, who put an arm tightly around Neely’s neck. A video of the altercation posted online by the freelance journalist shows the man lying under Neely and holding him in a headlock for several minutes. Neely tried unsuccessfully to break free. A second passenger held Neely’s arms, and a third grabbed him by the shoulder.
Neely lost consciousness during the struggle. Paramedics and police arrived after the train stopped at a station. Neely was pronounced dead shortly after at a Manhattan hospital.
The 24-year-old ex-soldier was taken into custody but released. Prosecutors announced a full investigation to determine whether Neely’s death should result in criminal charges.
As news of Neely’s death spread on the Internet, the video from the subway elicited strong reactions. Some called the act an overreaction, while others defended the actions of fellow riders. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York tweeted , Jordan Neely was murdered.
