A fight erupted on a crowded Brooklyn train on Thursday afternoon, escalating dramatically when one commuter wrestled a gun from an apparent agitator and fatally shot them in the head, police said. The shooting took place on a northbound train in Brooklyn just after 4:45 p.m., when a verbal spat between two strangers quickly escalated into a fight.
A 32-year-old man boarded the train at the Nostrand Avenue stop and was confronted by a 36-year-old man who appeared to be "aggressive and provocative," NYPD Chief Michael Kemper said at a press briefing. The verbal spat soon turned into a physical fight before one of the two men flashed a gun.
Horror Scene on Train
"I'll beat you up!" the alleged aggressor shouted, followed by a barrage of curses and attempts to provoke the other man into a physical altercation, according to the video that has gone viral on social media.
"Come on, there's babies on here!" one woman can be heard pleading.
However, despite this warning, the 36-year-old continued his aggressive behavior, pouncing on the other man, pushing him onto a two-seater and delivering several punches.
Amid the altercation, the suspected aggressor, dressed in all black, reportedly brandished what is believed to be a knife or razor before rummaging through his jacket and eventually producing a firearm, Kemper said at the press conference.
The train car erupted into screams as passengers hurried to the opposite side of the car, with some even throwing themselves onto the ground, according to the distressing video.
"Let me out!" one woman kept screaming repeatedly.
The 32-year-old then somehow managed to wrestle the gun away from the other brawler and went on to "fire multiple shots," hitting the other man in front of numerous commuters, as said by Kemper.
At least four gunshots can be heard in the footage.
As the sound of gunshots echoed, the train doors opened, and panicked commuters rushed out onto the platform at the A/C Hoyt–Schermerhorn station, where the NYPD's 30th transit precinct is located, as seen in the video footage.
Journey Turns Nightmare
Witnesses said that officers, with their guns drawn, quickly entered the car, and the shooter was arrested even before he stepped onto the platform, according to Kemper. The 36-year-old man was rushed to Brooklyn Methodist Hospital in critical condition and was undergoing surgery.
Authorities believe that the two men involved were complete strangers.
It remains unclear whether the shooter will face any charges, as police have indicated that the "victim appears to be the aggressor."
ABC journalist Joyce Philippe was on the train during the incident, although she was in a different car. Philippe shared a separate video on social media capturing the reactions of terrified commuters as they ducked for cover after the shooting.
City officials strongly condemned the subway violence that occurred on Thursday, as shootings underground have skyrocketed. "When you bring a gun on a train and you start a fight, it's not right and it's absolutely outrageous," Kemper said.
The shooting on the nation's busiest transit system comes less than a week after New York Governor Kathy Hochul deployed 750 National Guard members in a bid to address the widespread violence in the subway system.
