Days After Horrifying Subway Surfing Incidents, Another ’Thrill-Seeking Teenager Loses His Life

The mobile gaming industry wasn’t where it is today, with even popular AAA titles entering the mobile gaming market. The most notable ones were Temple Run and Subway Surfers. Both games had a simple concept; Step 1:outrun your pursuer. Step 2: keep running. While Temple Run had a darker setting and not-so-PG-13 game-over sequences, Subway Surfers was pretty tame in this area, and above all, it was cooler. Released in May 2012, the game currently has over a billion downloads.

However, while surfing through subways on top of high-speed trains looks cool in a game, the real world is very different. What may look like a cool and cozy adventure of Subway Surfers on your phone is actually an unforgiving game of Temple Run in reality: dark, deadly, and gruesome.

Another Teen Perishes While Subway Surfing

According to data, the number of fatalities from subway surfing this year has surpassed the combined total of the past three years. Shockingly, four individuals seeking thrills lost their lives while riding atop trains thus far this year. The most recent tragic incident involved a 14-year-old named Jevon Fraser, who passed away on Thursday after attempting to surf the northbound 7 train in Queens. According to MTA records, subway surfing claimed two lives the previous year, with one fatality recorded in 2021, 2019, and 2018, respectively. Remarkably, no deaths were reported in 2020, per the MTA data.

The NYPD, who began keeping track of such incidents for the first time this year, has received at least 66 reports of individuals riding on the roofs of moving trains as of June 22. Jevon Fraser, a 14-year-old resident of Canarsie, was discovered on the platform at the Rawson Street station in Queens, displaying injuries indicating a fall from a considerable height, as confirmed by the NYPD.

Fraser’s acquaintance, a 16-year-old called Rop, disclosed to The New York Post that both of them belonged to an urban explorer group comprising hundreds of members who convene online to engage in audacious activities. These daring feats include subway surfing, trespassing into abandoned structures, and even lying on subway tracks while a train passes over them. After Kavon Wooden, aged 15, tragically lost his life while attempting the subway surfing stunt last December, most of the group pledged to abstain from such activities. However, a few members persisted in pursuing these risky endeavors.

It’s Dangerous, Not Cool!

In the aftermath of Fraser’s passing, Rop revealed that many group members had reaffirmed their commitment to refrain from riding on top of moving trains. Several friends and fellow group members took to Instagram to express their sentiments following Fraser’s demise. One of them shared a text conversation, seemingly attempting to dissuade Fraser from participating in subway surfing.

ALSO READ – Teen killed, second critical in NYC subway surfing mishap: sources

The Instagram story showcased a screenshot where the user warned Fraser, “If you do it the chances of you dying are very high dude,” stressing the risks involved. Another heartfelt message read, “I lost too many people already bro I keep telling yall stop f***ing surfing. This s**t don’t make you cool. This s**t f***ing hurts bro I’m in tears typing this.”

Fraser’s passing occurred precisely one week after another 14-year-old, Brian Crespo, met his untimely demise while subway surfing on an L train bound for Manhattan in Brooklyn, marking another tragic incident. The police blamed social media for not stopping the spread of the posts promoting such dangerous content. Should social media platforms actively ban content that glorifies such risky behavior?

WATCH STORY – Amid the Lethal Rise of ‘Subway Surfing’ Trend Another 14-Year-Old Meets a Tragic Fate