“Mr. Neely had a documented history of violent and erratic behavior, the apparent result of ongoing and untreated mental illness, When Mr. Neely began aggressively threatening Daniel Penny and other passengers, Daniel, with the help of others, acted to protect themselves, until help arrived. Daniel never intended to harm Mr. Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death.”
“For too long, those suffering from mental illness have been treated with indifference,” the statement concluded. “We hope that out of this awful tragedy will come a new commitment by our elected officials to address the mental health crisis on our streets and subways.”
