The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office has announced that they will not pursue charges against the man who shot another individual in the head on a crowded New York City subway train.
According to the spokesperson for the office, Oren Yaniv, evidence of self-defense has been identified, precluding the filing of criminal charges against the shooter.
The incident unfolded during Thursday’s evening rush hour on a New York City subway car and was captured in widely shared online videos. The shooting occurred at the Mt. Eden station platform, according to a law enforcement source.
Prior to 5 p.m., a physical altercation erupted between two men, aged 32 and 36, aboard a northbound A train in Brooklyn. Video footage shows passengers witnessing the altercation, during which the men exchanged punches and grappled with each other.
Following intervention by a fellow passenger, the 36-year-old man retrieved a gun from his jacket, prompting others to flee to the opposite end of the car. As chaos ensued, the train doors opened at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station, and several shots were fired.
The 32-year-old managed to disarm the 36-year-old and subsequently shot him in the head with his own weapon. The shooter was arrested at the scene, while the injured individual was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
This incident adds to a recent string of transit-related crimes in New York City, occurring just days after Governor Kathy Hochul deployed nearly 1,000 National Guard troops to address growing lawlessness within the subway system.
Addressing concerns about subway crime, Tarik Sheppard, New York City’s deputy commissioner of public information, emphasized the city’s efforts to ensure the safety of its residents despite the challenges posed by maintaining a large transit system.
