Overview
- A 12-year-old boarded a Red Line train at JFK/UMass just before 1 a.m. Tuesday and climbed onto the roof to “train surf,” then fell and struck his head.
- The train operator spotted the boy, stopped the train, called for help, and the child was able to walk back toward the car before being taken to a hospital with a serious but non-life-threatening head injury.
- MBTA Transit Police say the episode remains under investigation and have not announced any charges or additional details.
- Boston Carmen’s Union Local 589 publicly praised the operator’s swift actions and said trained transit staff helped avert a possible tragedy.
- Officials and reporters noted this incident follows past MBTA roof-riding episodes in 2014 and 2023 and broader national cases tied to social-media-driven stunt behavior, signaling continued enforcement and safety outreach will likely follow.