Two young girls who tragically died in a devastating subway surfing incident in Brooklyn have been named.
Zemfira Mukhtarov, 12, of Brooklyn, and Ebba Morina, 13, of Manhattan, were found unconscious and unresponsive atop a Brooklyn-bound J train at the Marcy Avenue-Broadway subway station in Williamsburg at around 3:10AM on Saturday (October 4), police and sources confirmed.
The girls, who were pronounced dead at the scene, had reportedly been part of a group of about 15 teens running around inside the train before the fatal incident.
Witnesses told police that officers later spoke to three teenage boys inside the station, taking two of them away in a cruiser.
Father Shares Heartbreaking Tribute
“With heavy hearts, we are reaching out for support after the tragic loss of my beloved daughter, Zemfira, who passed away in a devastating accident at a subway station,” her father, Ruslan Mukhtarov, wrote in a GoFundMe post.
“She was 12 and she had to have her [13th birthday] in just 2 weeks, full of life, and taken from us far too soon in a heartbreaking incident that we believe was a subway surfing accident.
“No parent should ever have to face the pain of losing a child,” he added. “We are struggling to process this immense grief, and we are turning to our community for help to give Zemfira the respectful and loving farewell she deserves. We are raising funds to cover the costs of her funeral and memorial services, as this unexpected tragedy has left us financially unprepared."
Subway Surfing Deaths on the Rise
Officials have linked the growing popularity of subway surfing - riding on top or clinging to the sides of moving trains -to videos circulating on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Despite the dangers, the trend has drawn thrill-seeking teens. “It’s heartbreaking that two young girls are gone because they somehow thought riding outside a subway train was an acceptable game,” NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said in a statement, per the New York Times.
“Parents, teachers, and friends need to be clear with loved ones: getting on top of a subway car isn’t ‘surfing’ - it’s suicide," he continued. “I’m thinking of both the grieving families, and transit workers who discovered these children, all of whom have been horribly shaken by this tragedy.”
These latest fatalities mark the fifth and sixth deaths from subway surfing in 2025. That number matches the death toll from 2024, and is already ahead of the total for 2023. By comparison, between 2018 and 2022, only five people died from the activity.
Locals near the Marcy Avenue station voiced frustration and grief. Duran Walker, 47, said he doubted the deaths would stop others from trying. “Even though two kids just passed away, they’re going to still do it. It don’t stop, unfortunately.”
Esrin Boran, 38, who works at a fruit stand below the station, added: “What do you think this is? If you die, your mother is feeling the baddest in all her life. You’re dead.”
In response to the growing trend, the MTA has expanded its “Ride Inside, Stay Alive” public service campaign and partnered with social media companies to take down videos promoting the practice. Since November 2023, the NYPD has also used drones to monitor rooftops and elevated tracks, the New York Post reported.
So far in 2025, police have issued 229 citations for riding outside of trains - up from 135 in 2023.