University student dies after being struck by train in NY

A 19-year-old university student died Monday afternoon after he was struck by a train at a station in Long Island, N.Y., according to police.

The non-passenger train struck sophomore accounting and finance major Benjamin Sassoon, of Wantagh, N.Y., at about 4:45 p.m. at the Long Island Rail Road’s station in Bellmore, according to Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Aaron Donovan.

“At this point, most of the details of this incident are still under investigation, but the initial information that the police received is leading us to investigate this as a possible suicide,” Donovan said.

The train crew reported the incident, and MTA and Nassau County Police were dispatched to the station immediately. According to Donovan, the Nassau County Emergency Medical Services pronounced Sassoon dead at the scene at about 5:10 p.m.

Donovan said that while there is no indication of foul play, it’s too early to say definitively what caused Sassoon’s death. The train’s crew will be interviewed in coming days; Donovan said yesterday that he was unsure if there were any witnesses on the station’s platform.

MTA police notified Sassoon’s family and University Police on Monday evening, saying they were investigating the incident, University Police spokesman Sgt. Ken Leonard said.

“If they need any assistance from us, we’re happy to provide it,” he said.

Sassoon was pledging Delta Sigma Phi this semester, and a friend of his family notified DSP members of the sophomore’s death Monday evening.

“Ben was really the type of individual who really lit up a room. He smiled anywhere he went, and he was just an incredible person who we’re certainly going to miss,” said DSP President Mike Devore, a senior history major. “The men here at Delta Sigma Phi are really mourning the loss of a great friend, and through the university and our fraternity, they’re providing us with the support and the resources to grieve and to handle the situation.”

For students grappling with depression or suicidal thoughts, the university offers many on-campus resources, including the University Help Center hotline (301-314-HELP) and the University Counseling Center.

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