Philadelphia Subway Riders Witnessed Rape but Did Nothing, Police Say

Philadelphia Subway Riders Witnessed Rape but Did Nothing, Police Say
SEPTA General Manager Leslie Richards speaks during a news conference as SEPTA Transit Police Chief Thomas Nestel III stands behind her on an El platform at the 69th Street Transportation Center in Philadelphia, Pa., on Oct. 18, 2021. Tom Gralish/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP
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The rape of a woman aboard a Philadelphia subway witnessed by as many as 10 passengers, some of whom appeared to film the attack, could have been stopped quickly if one had called 911, police said on Tuesday.

The woman was raped shortly after 9 p.m. on Oct. 13 on a train run by Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), which provides public transportation in Philadelphia, SEPTA Transit Police Chief Thomas Nestel III said.