Seventeen people have been injured in a shooting at a New York City subway station in Brooklyn during the morning rush hour. The incident occurred at the 36th Street station at approximately 08:30 local time (12:30 GMT) when an unidentified attacker detonated a smoke bomb and opened fire.
Images from the scene showed bloodied passengers lying on the floor of the smoke-filled station. New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell stated that the suspect donned a gas mask before opening fire on the subway and platform. The attacker then fled, wearing a green construction-type vest and a grey sweatshirt.
Police have tracked down a rental van linked to the attack, but the suspect was not found. Ten of the injured were shot, while others suffered smoke inhalation or injuries from the panic. Five people are in critical but stable condition, and none are believed to be life-threatening. The motive remains under investigation, and the attack is not being treated as terrorism.
Eyewitness Sam Carcamo described the scene as 'smoke and blood and people screaming.' Another witness, Claire, told the New York Post she saw the suspect drop a cylinder that sparked, initially mistaking him for a subway worker due to his vest. The station's surveillance system reportedly malfunctioned, hampering initial police investigations.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the attack, saying, 'This insanity that is seizing our city has to stop.' President Joe Biden thanked first responders and civilians who helped fellow passengers. The incident highlights a troubling rise in gun violence in US cities over the past two years.
