A 36-year-old man was critically injured in a shooting aboard a subway train in Downtown Brooklyn on Thursday afternoon, according to New York Police Department officials. The violent incident unfolded around 4:45 p.m. on a northbound A train as it was arriving at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station near the Boerum Hill neighborhood.
At a news briefing, NYPD Chief of Transit Michael Kemper provided details on the chain of events that led to the shooting. A 32-year-old man had boarded the A train at the Nostrand Avenue station, Kemper said. Shortly after, a 36-year-old man already aboard the train approached the 32-year-old in an “aggressive and provocative” manner, according to witness accounts.
An argument erupted between the two men, with the older man brandishing what was believed to be a knife or razor blade before dropping it, Kemper recounted. Though the situation briefly de-escalated, the confrontation reignited, this time turning physical.
The 36-year-old then pulled out a gun, Kemper said. As the two men grappled over the firearm, the 32-year-old gained control of the weapon and opened fire, striking the older man multiple times in the head at close range.
The gunfire erupted just as the A train was pulling into the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station. NYPD officers already present at the subway stop due to heightened patrols quickly responded and rendered medical aid to the shooting victim, who was rushed into surgery in critical condition.
“There were multiple officers at that station who heard the gunshots and immediately responded to the scene and provided medical assistance,” Kemper told reporters. The 32-year-old man remained with police as the investigation continued late into the evening.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber condemned the “outrageous” act of violence and commended Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul for their efforts to combat gun crimes. But Lieber stressed that “subways are no place for guns.”
The shooting disrupted service along the A/C lines in both directions during the evening rush hour as police processed the crime scene. riders faced delays of up to an hour as trains were rerouted around the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station.
While overall crime rates remain low in the transit system, the incident marked the latest episode of high-profile violence in New York’s subways. It came just over a year after the brutal mass shooting aboard a Brooklyn-bound N train that left nearly two dozen people injured last April.
Transit officials have increased police presence underground and rolled out new safety initiatives, but Thursday’s shooting highlighted the persistent public safety challenges facing one of the world’s busiest transit networks.
