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Teen Fleeing Police Electrocuted by Third Rail at 59th St., NYPD Says

By  Shaye Weaver and Gwynne Hogan | April 25, 2017 1:32pm 

MIDTOWN EAST — A teen suspected of robbing a newsstand was electrocuted after jumping into the Lexington Avenue-59th Street subway tracks on Monday, police said.

Shaun Jackson, 19, and another unknown person snatched money from a cash box at a newsstand outside the train station at roughly 2:40 p.m. on Monday, and fled onto a northbound 6 train in the station when police started chasing after them, authorities said.

While the train was being held in the station, Jackson ran off the train onto the platform and jumped into the tracks, where he was immediately electrocuted by the third rail, police said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jackson, who hailed from Crown Heights, had 36 prior arrests, police said.

The incident slowed down the Monday evening commute on the 4, 5 and 6 trains.