Man Struck By R Train At 8th Street Station, Police Said

EAST VILLAGE, NY — A train struck and likely killed a man who was laying in the subway tracks at the 8th Street station Wednesday night, police said.

The operator of a southbound R train spotted the man's body sprawl across the subway tracks and hit the breaks, but the train could not stop in time and rolled over the man, officials said.

Emergency responders pronounced the man, who is in his 20s, dead on the scene. Police said it is unclear if he died before the train struck him, and if he fell or jumped onto the tracks.

The city's Medical Examiner's office will determine the cause of death.

Southbound N, Q and R trains were running express from 34th to Canal streets and re-routed over the Manhattan Bridge to DeKalb Avenue during the investigation Wednesday night. Normal subway service has since resumed.

Photo courtesy of Spencer Platt/Getty Images