Man Dies After Being Dragged By D.C. Metro Train When Dog Leash Gets Caught In Door

On Wednesday, a man was killed when his dog leash caught on the door of his home. D.C. Metro According to authorities, he was pulled down the platform at a Northern Virginia station by a train.

Metro Transit Police Department, an arm of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, reported that the tragic incident took place just before 1:30 p.m. at Dunn Loring Station, Fairfax County, Virginia, approximately 12 miles west Washington, D.C.

Metro riders died today when the dog leash they were carrying got caught in a train door. He was then dragged down Dunn Loring station’s platform. The dog on his opposite side was safe and sound. Live report from @bforte22 #wmata @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/nnFLu4ZVeP

— Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) February 15, 2023

“The deceased cleared the train and was on the platform away from [the] car, but upon closer review, a leash appears to be tied to the person, which was unfortunately caught in the door, leaving a dog with no ID inside of the car,” police said in a statement.

“This obstruction caused the individual to be dragged on the platform and onto the tracks,” the statement added.

Update on investigation at Dunn Loring #wmata pic.twitter.com/rGzEgUgAny

— Metro Transit Police (@MetroTransitPD) February 15, 2023

An investigation that includes the examination of video is underway.

Police said the incident took place about 450 feet away from the operator cab, and the train operator performed two “safety checks” before moving the train.

Police said the man was taken to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries. The dog, which does not appear to be a service animal, is in police care, the statement said.

“Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends of the deceased,” Metro Transit Police said.

Dogs that are not service animals are not allowed to ride “unconfined” on Metrorail and Metrobus, WMATA says. “However, a pet may be transported on Metrorail and Metrobus, provided it is carried aboard in a secure container from which it cannot escape,” the WMATA website adds.

Adam Truss, a transportation reporter for NBC Washington, said the train operator should have received a notification if something is stuck in a car door. “So that is certainly troubling,” he added during a news report from the scene.

The deadly incident comes as Metro considers bringing back automated trains, as early as this year.

While the system was built for automation, Metro’s train operators have manually stopped trains ever since a 2009 crash that killed nine people and injured dozens more.