A chilling scene that did not make anyone react. A woman was raped on Wednesday evening on a train in Pennsylvania (United States), under the eyes of several passengers who did not intervene, reports The Independent relayed by Slate. “I have no words for that”, commented this Sunday the police commissioner in charge of the investigation. And to continue: “I can not imagine seeing [ça] with his own eyes, see what this woman was going through and not intervene to help her. “
A Septa agent calls the police
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. on a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Septa) train. The perpetrator sat down next to his victim, struck up a conversation before harassing her. Faced with her refusal, he finally ripped off her clothes before raping her.
The sexual assault lasted eight minutes, according to CCTV camera footage. The other passengers were not very numerous, but enough to “act collectively” and protect the victim, according to the police commissioner. It was ultimately a Septa employee who called 911 after getting on the train and seeing the assault.
The wanted passengers
Agents of the transport company arrested the suspect, a 35-year-old man, who was handed over to the police and taken into custody. Police are now seeking to identify the passengers for questioning as witnesses.
Passive passengers in front of this scene could possibly be charged too. But the commissioner refused to say more about this aspect of the case, reports the New York Times. The state of Pennsylvania does not have a law relating to non-assistance to a person in danger.
