Several people were shot at in a subway station in New York’s Brooklyn today. People tweeted photos showing commuters with blood on their clothes being helped by others, as they sat with their back to a metro train. At least 16 were injured, the New York Fire Department said. The shooter is suspected to be still active in the area, local media reported. The police were seeking a man with a gas mask and an orange construction vest, the official said, reported The New York Times.
Some reports said explosives were found at the site of the attack, which happened during the morning rush hour at 8:30 am local time. Trains have been stopped, local media reported. The New York Police Department, or NYPD, tweeted, “Due to an investigation, avoid the area of 36th Street and 4th Avenue area in Brooklyn. Expect emergency vehicles and delays in the surrounding area.” The NYPD said there are “no active explosive devices”.
“In regard to the multiple people shot at the 36th Street subway station in Brooklyn, there are NO active explosive devices at this time. Any witnesses are asked to call @NYPDTips at #800577TIPS. Please stay clear of the area. More provided information when available,” NYPD tweeted. A Twitter user posted a video of the subway where the people were shot. Smoke could be seen in the video, from what appeared to be something burning.
“This is not being investigated as an act of terrorism at this time,” New York City police commissioner Keechant Sewell told reporters. “Reportedly we have no one with life-threatening injuries as a result of this case.” Some photos on social media show blood on the floor of a metro coach in the Brooklyn subway. Several Twitter users have indicated this could be a terror attack. NY1 News reported the suspect wore a construction worker uniform and a gas mask. According to NBC, citing NYPD officials and senior law enforcement officials, a man in a gas mask and orange construction vest may have tossed a smoke canister on the platform to distract the rush hour crowd.
Mass casualty shootings happen with relative frequency in the US, where firearms are involved in approximately40,000 deaths a year, including suicides, according to the Gun Violence Archive website. The incident came just a day after US President Joe Biden announced new gun control measures, increasing restrictions on so-called “ghost guns”, the difficult-to-trace weapons that can be assembled at home. A spokesman for Mayor Eric Adams declined to comment. US President Joe Biden on Tuesday was briefed on the latest developments, White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted. White House senior staff are in touch with New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell.