2022 New York City Subway attack
![]() | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (April 2022) |
2022 New York City Subway attack | |
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![]() 36th Street Station in 2015 | |
Location | 36th Street Station, Brooklyn, New York City, United States |
Date | April 12, 2022 c. 8:24 a.m. (EDT) |
Attack type | Mass shooting |
Weapons | Firearms, smoke bombs |
Deaths | 0 |
Injured | 29 (10 by gunfire, 19 by evacuation accidents)[1] |
Motive | Under investigation
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Suspects | Unidentified male |
On the morning of April 12, 2022, a mass shooting occurred on a northbound N train on the New York City Subway in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. A gas mask-wearing gunman threw smoke bombs onto the train and injured at least 10 people when he opened fire. Most of them disembarked at 36th Street Station and at least 19 more were injured during the evacuation. A suspect has not yet been apprehended.[2]
Shooting
At around 8:24 a.m. on April 12, 2022, multiple people were shot on a northbound N train in the New York City Subway in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.[3] The assailant put on a gas mask, threw smoke bombs onto the floor of a train car, and opened fire with a .380 caliber handgun as the train approached 36th Street station. The assailant fled the scene after the attack.[4] The suspect was seen mumbling to himself before putting on the gas mask.[3] A passenger in the car ahead of the car with the shooter claimed to be unaware until the passengers from the car behind hers began banging on the separation door between the cars. She then heard a series of loud pops and saw smoke in the other car.[5] Since the N train consisted of R46 subway cars, the doors in the car were locked for safety reasons, preventing riders from heading to the next car.[citation needed]
When the train stopped at 36th Street station, the wounded passengers disembarked at the platform.[6] Police were called to the station at 8:30 a.m..[7] A passenger waiting for the subway claimed that he saw "calamity" when the subway door opened due to the smoke, blood and passengers screaming.[5] Footage of the evacuation from the subway train was filmed by a passenger in an adjacent car and was quickly published on social media and news sites. The footage depicted the chaos of the evacuation with many people helping injured passengers, shouting about details of the shooting and requesting emergency services.[8]
An announcement by the conductor on the R train across the platform urged riders on the northbound platform to board that train. When the train arrived at 25th Street, it stayed put, and police officers instructed riders to leave the station. In response, many riders began running for the exits in a panic. Bystanders from the train attended three injured people in one of the cars toward the front of the train.[9]
The FDNY arrived at the 36th Street station, initially responding to reports of smoke in the station.[4] On their arrival they found the casualties and recovered "several undetonated devices".[10] A business owner on the street near the 36th Street station saw about half-a-dozen police cars and fire vehicles converge on the block, but thought it was a normal subway problem until he saw the bomb squad arrive.[5]
Victims
At a morning press conference on April 12, the FDNY said there were sixteen people injured, ten of them with gunshot wounds, five of whom are in critical but stable condition. Some of the injured jumped onto another train to flee the area and got aid at the next station, 25th Street.[11] At least four victims were found at 36th Street station and another at 25th Street station.[2] The people not injured in gunfire were injured from smoke inhalation or the response of the crowd as they fled the scene.[12]
Investigation
NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said that the incident was not currently being investigated as a terrorist attack, but did not rule this out saying the attack was under investigation.[13] FBI and HSI investigators were on the scene along with the NYPD.[11] There were no working security cameras at the 36th Street subway station.[3]
The decision of the local duty captain for Brooklyn South not to freeze all trains in and out of 36th Street could have allowed the suspect to escape, per an NYPD source.[14]
A gun and a bag containing fireworks and smoke canisters were recovered at the scene.[11]
Suspect
The suspect – who was described as a black male, 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) tall and 175 to 180 pounds (79 to 82 kg), wearing a gas mask, MTA uniform, a gray hooded sweatshirt, a green vest and a backpack – fled the scene and has not yet been apprehended.[3][15][16][17] Upon reports that the suspect may have fled onto the subway tracks, NYPD officers searched the tunnels. Law enforcement believes that the suspect acted alone in orchestrating the attack[11] and found that a U-Haul van with the Arizona license plate AL31408 is linked to the shooting.[18]
Aftermath
Nearby Brooklyn schools were given a shelter-in-place order,[19] which was lifted after noon.[20] At about 11:00 a.m., New York City's emergency messaging system sent a notice warning people to avoid the entire area between Third and Fifth Avenues, and between 20th and 40th Streets.[9]
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority released a statement at 9:21 am stating that service on the D, N, and R trains was suspended at select Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan stations.[21] As a precaution, law enforcement increased security at regional transit hubs.[11] D trains were suspended between Broadway–Lafayette Street and Ninth Avenue station, operating along the IND Culver Line between Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue station and Ninth Avenue. N trains were suspended between Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center station and Eighth Avenue station, operating between Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard station to Canal Street staion, then along the BMT Fourth Avenue Line to DeKalb Avenue station, then via the BMT Brighton Line to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue. R trains were suspended between Whitehall Street station and 59th Street station with limited trains operating between 59th Street and Bay Ridge–95th Street station, with N trains replacing the R. B and W trains were also suspended while Q trains experienced delays.[22] Service was restored on the D and N running local between Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center and 25th Street/59th Street, bypassing 36th Street, and resuming service along Ninth Avenue/Eight Avenue stations at 5:15 pm.
Reactions
President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland were briefed on the shooting.[4] A spokesman for Mayor Eric Adams called on New Yorkers to "stay away from this area for their safety and so that first responders can help those in need and investigate".[4] New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the suspect "cold hearted and depraved" while calling for an end to mass shootings and violence in New York.[23]
Following surge pricing by both Uber and Lyft after the shooting, and many customers posting screenshots of the prices to social media, Uber announced surge pricing would be disabled in the vicinity of the shooting and pricing would be capped for the entire city, with refunds offered to affected users as well as sympathy to those affected. Both apps were accused of similar practices after the 2017 bombing near the Port Authority in Manhattan.[24]
See also
References
- ^ "Hospitals report 29 injuries from subway station shooting". The Washington Post. April 12, 2022. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "'Multiple people shot' in NYC subway station in Brooklyn; manhunt underway for man wearing gas mask". silive. April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Shapiro, Emily; Katersky, Aaron (April 12, 2022). "NYC subway shootings updates: Multiple shot, suspect at large". ABC News. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Multiple people shot in New York City subway". BBC News. April 12, 2022. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Witnesses of Brooklyn subway shooting recall "smoke and blood and people screaming"". www.cbsnews.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ Parascandola, Rocco; Tracy, Thomas; Rayman, Graham; Guse, Clayton (April 12, 2022). "Gunman in gas mask and construction vest shoots 5 passengers in Brooklyn subway, 8 others injured". nydailynews.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ Dunn, Danielle Muoio (April 12, 2022). "Multiple people shot, 13 injured as undetonated devices found at Brooklyn subway station". POLITICO. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ Simko-Bednarski, Evan (April 12, 2022). "Harrowing video shows smoke and blood on N train". New York Post. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ a b Gold, Michael; Closson, Troy; Southall, Ashley (April 12, 2022). "Live Updates: 16 People Are Injured, Including 10 Shot, in Attack on Brooklyn Subway, Police Said". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ Gingras, Brynn; Shallwani, Pervaiz; Morales, Mark; Levenson, Eric (April 12, 2022). "13 taken to hospitals after shooting in Brooklyn subway station". CNN. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Dienst, Jonathan; Miller, Myles; Millman, Jennifer; Russo, Melissa (April 12, 2022). "10 Shot in Brooklyn Subway Rush-Hour Attack; Manhunt Underway for Gunman in Gas Mask". NBC New York. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ "Manhunt underway for suspect who opened fire on Brooklyn subway, injuring 29 people". CNN. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ "Eyewitness News Live Streaming Video". Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) live NY press conference, April 12, 2022 - ^ Winston, Jon Blistein,Andrea Marks,Ali; Blistein, Jon; Marks, Andrea; Winston, Ali (April 12, 2022). "A Police Error May Have Contributed to the Brooklyn Subway Shooter's Escape". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
{{cite magazine}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Multiple people injured in shooting and explosion on NYC subway - follow live". The Independent. April 12, 2022. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ WABC (April 12, 2022). "At least 16 shot or hurt in NYC by man wearing gas mask, construction vest". ABC7 New York. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ Dienst, Jonathan; Miller, Myles; Millman, Jennifer; Russo • •, Melissa (April 12, 2022). "10 Shot in Brooklyn Subway Rush-Hour Attack; Manhunt Ongoing for Gunman in Gas Mask". NBC New York. NBC. NBC. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ "Suspect Description: U-Haul With Arizona Plates May Be Tied to Brooklyn Subway Gunman". April 12, 2022. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ Pomrenze, Yon (April 12, 2022). "Schools in the area of the Brooklyn subway shooting are sheltering in, Education Department says". CNN. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ Offenhartz, Jake; Nessen, Stephen; Mai, y (April 12, 2022). "10 people shot, six others injured in Brooklyn after subway shooting". Gothamist. Archived from the original on August 14, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ New York City Subway [@NYCTSubway] (April 12, 2022). "There is no D/N/R service in Brooklyn and some stations in Manhattan. Expect major delays on B/D/F N/Q/R trains. Take alternate subway or bus lines" (Tweet). Retrieved April 12, 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Subway service changes due to 36 St incident". MTA. April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ "At least 16 shot or hurt in NYC by man wearing gas mask, construction vest". ABC7NY. April 12, 2022. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ Wayt, Theo (April 12, 2022). "Uber, Lyft accused of upping prices after Brooklyn subway attack". New York Post. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.