Jordan Neely

About

Dancer and homeless performer who was killed on a New York City subway on May 1, 2023, around 2:30 PM. According to witnesses, Neely boarded the subway car and began yelling that he was hungry and thirsty, that he didn't mind going to prison, and that he was ready to die. Juan Alberto Vázquez, a fellow passenger and journalist, began recording the chaos as it unfolded. Neely took his coat off and threw it "violently" to the floor, which caused others to move away from him. At that point, Daniel Penny, a former marine, approached him from behind and put him in a chokehold. Several other passengers helped restrain his arms and legs. Vázquez reported during an interview that Neely did not provoke or attack anyone, including Penny. The chokehold lasted for at least three minutes, which were captured on video. Vázquez claimed that the chokehold went on for fifteen minutes. Around 2:29 PM, some passengers expressed concern that Neely was dying, while others insisted that he was not going to die. Media reports vary on when police were contacted and how long it took them to reach the scene. Some reports place the first 911 call around 2:20 PM, while others claim the police were not called until 2:25 PM. Mayor Eric Adams asserted that the police were on the scene in six minutes. He was pronounced dead at Lenox Hill Hospital. 

Before Fame

Neely had been arrested 42 times prior to his death, albeit for mostly minor offenses. His more serious crimes included three unprovoked attacks on women in the subway and a child endangerment charge for dragging a seven-year-old girl down the street. 

Trivia

New York City officials had placed him on a Top 50 list of homeless New Yorkers most in need of care and assistance. In April of 2023, an outreach worker saw him and noted that he was incoherent and aggressive. 

Family Life

He was born to Andre Zachery and Christy Neely and was raised in Bayonne, New Jersey. When he was 14 years old, his mother was murdered by her abusive boyfriend. Her body was later found in a suitcase, and Neely was called to testify at her murder trial. His aunt has said that he developed depression, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of her murder. He was put in foster care after her death. 

Associated With

He was a Michael Jackson impersonator.