SILVER SPRING, Md. — A teenager was found dead on a Metro train Friday morning in Montgomery County.
According to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, the Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD) responded to the report of a young girl dead on a train at the Silver Spring station. Police have not yet confirmed her exact age.
The initial investigation shows it appears to be a "train surfing" incident, according to MTPD. Typically train surfing is when a person rides or stands on top of between train cars as they move.
"We are deeply saddened to learn that a teenage girl lost her life this morning while riding outside of a train car en route to Silver Spring station," Metro tweeted Friday afternoon. "Our thoughts are with the victim’s family."
Trains were single tracking between Silver Spring and Forest Glen for about 90 minutes, but that has since cleared. Metro said there are still some residual delays in both directions.
"That's supposed to be the future," said Metro rider Ricardo Lewis. "When kids do crazy things and you find out later, it's so sad."
"It almost brings me to tears," responded another rider who did not want to giver her name. "it's devastating. It didn't have to happen. I'm praying for the family for comfort and strength."
This is not the first deadly incident of train surfing in D.C. In June 2023, Metro confirmed that 16-year-old Jay Thirunarayanapuram was killed after climbing on top of a moving Red Line train, also just outside the Silver Spring station. He was filming himself when he slipped and fell on the tracks.
WUSA9 talked to the teen's family following his death, and they blamed social media saying their son was addicted to the likes, shares and views.
"If he wasn't able to post those pictures onlines, get those likes, he most likely would not have been on top of that train," the teen's mother, Vaishali Honawar, said. "He was obsessed."
Metro told WUSA9 at the time that since the beginning of 2021, there had been four reports of people riding on top railcars, resulting in two deaths.
"This is extremely dangerous. Don't do it," a Metro spokesperson said at the time. "You could get arrested and unfortunately, as recently happened, it can cost you your life."
This is a developing story. Stay with WUSA9 for updates.
RELATED: Teen shot on Metro train, police say
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