March 16, 2024

Man Shot With Own Gun Amidst New York City’s Heightened Subway Crime

The unidentified man is listed in critical condition after pulling out his gun against another passenger.

A week after New York Governor Kathy Hochul informed New Yorkers that the National Guard would be patrolling the subway because of rising crime numbers, a man was wounded by his own gun after an altercation in a subway car at a Brooklyn station.

According to USA Today, the wounded man was shot several times after he threatened another passenger and brandished his weapon before the other person took it from him and used it against him. The incident occurred when the train arrived at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station in Brooklyn. A video clip of the confrontation was posted online by a passenger filming the incident.

As the two passengers were arguing, the man who was shot appeared to be the aggressor while daring the other man to fight. Other people in the subway car moved away from both men when the tension rose. When the two started fighting, some passengers tried to intervene. But the taller man continued to threaten the shorter passenger. He began yelling at his foe, and accused him of stabbing him. He reached into his jacket and pulled out the gun. The person filming the interaction ran away along other bystanders. The subway pulled into the station, and shots were heard as the subway doors opened.

New Yorkers are begging the politicians to step up and do the right thing. This video is all over the internet and my anxiety is bad from looking at this. Crack down on those who break the laws. This is horrible. Putting people’s lives at risk. The subways are not safe! Warning… pic.twitter.com/8xqdkbloLU

— Lattina Brown, MPA 🇯🇲 (@LattinaBrown) March 15, 2024

According to the NYPD, the unidentified man was shot multiple times, including in the head. Police officers stationed at the stop arrived quickly when they heard the gunshots, NYPD Chief of Transit Michael Kemper said at a news conference. The older man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he is listed in critical condition.

The younger man was detained by police officers on the subway platform. After an investigation, he was not charged with a crime as police officers determine whether he acted in self-defense.

According to the New York Post, Governor Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams revealed that the city is bringing in more law enforcement as they are instituting random mandatory bag checks for people using the transit system. Plans are underway to bring in 750 National Guardsmen, along with 250 state and MTA police officers, for 1,000 law enforcement officers to help the NYPD patrol “the city’s busiest transit stations.”