The distinction, I believe, should be between laying blame and seeking solutions. I can identify with Neely's family and the pain to them, but blaming Penny here will not bring back Neely. I can identify with feeling unsafe on a train, but blaming Neely (and others like him) will not make the trains safer. What we should ask is, what can we do so this will not happen again?

Why wasn't Neely getting the help he needed?

Why was Neely homeless?

Why don't we have security on the trains who make sure they are safe, rather than just harassing people?

Both Left and Right seem too caught up in seeking to impose individual blame to even consider these questions, much less the systemic changes needed to answer them.