Sandy MaloneBrooklyn, NY – At least 16 people were injured – as many as five of them shot – during a vicious attack inside a Brooklyn subway station on Tuesday morning.
The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) responded to a report of smoke inside the 36th Street subway station at about 8:30 a.m. on April 12, the Associated Press reported.
Law enforcement sources told NBC News that a Manhattan-bound N train was pulling into the station when someone opened fire inside the subway car.
Sources said a man was spotted throwing a device before he opened fire.
Witnesses told police that the suspect was possibly wearing a Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) uniform, NBC News reported.
Police sources told ABC News that at least 16 people were injured.
It was not immediately clear how many of the injured people had been shot, but initial reports had at least five people suffering from gunshot wounds.
Photos and video from the scene showed the subway platform littered with bleeding passengers, the Associated Press reported.
Witnesses reported smoke on some of the trains prior to them arriving in the station.
Video showing immediate aftermath of panic and a mad rush to flea the scene of #NewYork mass shooting and smoke grenade attack.
Suspect still on the run wearing gas mask and orange vest.
Now confirmed shooting happened inside train subway carriage while on the move. pic.twitter.com/UOpkkPmRX2
— Dave (@OfficerDave2) April 12, 2022
“My subway door opened into calamity. It was smoke and blood and people screaming,” witness Sam Carcamo said.
Carcamo said he saw a huge billow of smoke pouring out of the N train after the door opened, the Associated Press reported.
At least 11 people have been transported to two different hospitals for emergency treatment.
Fabien Levy, a spokesman for New York City Mayor Eric Adams, confirmed that the New York Police Department (NYPD) had found several undetonated devices at the scene, the Associated Press reported.
⚠️🇺🇸#URGENT: Several people shot and multiple explosives found at New York City subway station#Brooklyn l #NY
Police confirm explosive devices are present at the 36th Street station. Several people are down. Trains are being halted.
More information as it becomes available! pic.twitter.com/9HFIY2SSOP— Intel Point ALERT (@IntelPointAlert) April 12, 2022
But NYPD said no “active explosive devices” were immediately located, NBC News reported.
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. pic.twitter.com/8UoiCAXemB
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) April 12, 2022
Local schools nearby the subway station were placed on lockdown as authorities began a search for the gunman, the Associated Press reported.
Authorities are searching for a suspect who may have been wearing a reflective vest and a gas mask, according to ABC News.
A situation report issued to law enforcement that was obtained by ABC News said that investigators believed it was a coordinated attack but do not know the motive behind it.
Witnesses described seeing injured passengers fleeing the train station.
Konrad Aderer said he was headed to the 36th Street subway station when he encountered bloody chaos, ABC News reported.
“It was kind of shocking, of course. I wanted to know more,” Aderer said. “I just figured I can’t do much good here and I’ll just be in the way… the best thing for me to do is to leave immediately.”
He said police and other emergency vehicles were flooding the area as he departed, ABC News reported.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents were on the scene assisting NYPD with its investigation.
Former NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea urged people not to jump to any conclusions until the attack had been investigated, NBC News reported.
“It’s important to know, at a scene such as this, it can be chaotic,” Shea said. “You can have all sorts of information coming in and trained investigators then have to sift through that to determine what is reality versus what is what somebody perceived in a split second.”
“This crime scene is only going to grow as time goes on,” the former police commissioner continued. “You have to imagine this occurring on a moving train. So there’s potential that evidence is disturbed. People running out of there frantically. So everyone is kind of at this point, settling down, and now the investigation really starts so witnesses, video, all of this is critically important at this point.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul described the incident as an “active shooter situation.”
This is a developing story and we will keep you updated. For all of our updates, follow us on Facebook and go to your news feed preferences under your settings, then select that you want to see more of The Police Tribune’s posts in your news feed. Otherwise, Facebook may not show you updates.
Holly Matkin
