Passenger who appears to miss GO Train clings to side as it departs station

A passenger appears to cling onto a GO Train on Feb. 5. (Supplied)

A GO Train passenger who appeared to ride the side of a train earlier this month is being slammed by Metrolinx for what they’re calling “incredibly dangerous behaviour.”

“There is absolutely no reason that justifies putting yourself, and potentially other people in this type of danger,” the Crown corporation that runs GO Transit told CTV News Toronto in an email.

Shelle Papin said she was taking the train out of Toronto on Feb. 5 at roughly 1:20 p.m. when she spotted the man on the other side of the train doors as it left Burlington station.

She said after it appeared he missed the train doors closing, he clung onto the ledge to hitch a ride.

“I was looking out the window at this point, so I clearly see what this guy did,” she told CTV News Toronto over the phone. “The doors closed, and the train pulled away, and he jumped on to the ledge, you know, that you step on to get into the train…It was moving and he just grabbed the handle.”

Papin said she didn’t know what to do, and without an employee in sight, she took a picture of the man to document the incident.

“I thought these terrible things, like what if a train comes by and he gets smushed? What if he falls and gets caught as another train comes by?”

As she continued to look for help, Papin said the train eventually rolled into Aldershot station, where the passenger entered the train as the doors opened.

Papin said she confronted the man about his actions, but he did not respond.

After she reported the incident to Metrolinx later that evening, Papin said the company was already aware.

In a statement to CTV News Toronto, Metrolinx said its customer protective services team is investigating and that charges are expected to be laid against the individual, once he is identified.