On Tuesday morning, a man reportedly wearing a gas mask and a construction vest threw smoke bombs into a Brooklyn subway car before firing his gun aimlessly. According to WABC, at least 16 people were shot or injured as a result of the shooting.
Police are still working to locate the suspect. The shooting reportedly began around 8:30 a.m. and occurred near the 36th Street subway station in Sunset Park and the 25th Street station in Greenwood Heights, reports suggest.
Manhunt for Suspect in Gas Mask and Construction Vest Continues After They Shot Up Brooklyn Subway Car
“This perpetrator dropped those smoke cans, if that’s what they are, and shot around, and then exited from that point,” retired NYC Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce told WABC. “He’s not going to stay on there if there’s smoke on there, even if he has the filter mask.”
A man who witnessed injured subway riders exiting the platform described what he saw earlier this morning. “I saw a lot of people coming out of the train station. One of them was injured. I believe it was a lady that was getting shot in her leg, and a lot of people were coming up from side to side, screaming, asking for help.”
It remains unclear if police have any leads as to who the suspect may be at this point in the investigation. So far, none of the reported injuries are considered life-threatening.
The suspect has been described as a Black male who stood roughly 5-foot-5 inches tall and looked to weigh about 175 to 180 pounds.
A mother who could hear the shots told WABC that the scene was chaotic. “All you heard was a big, loud noise that sounded like a big bang, an explosion, and then there were people running out of the train station. So it was just very hectic this morning.”
White House Secretary Jen Psaki took to Twitter to say President Biden has been briefed.
Also on Mamas Uncut: New Court Documents Reveal Matthew Coleman’s Wife Researched QAnon With Him Before Child Murders
Several subway lines have since been shut down as the investigation continues.