Brooklyn, NY – A 36-year-old man is currently in critical condition after being shot in the head by his own weapon during an altercation on a subway in Brooklyn on Thursday afternoon, according to a press conference held by the New York Police Department.
The incident took place on a northbound A train at the Nostrand Avenue Station around 4:45 p.m. The 32-year-old suspect boarded the train when it began moving. The victim, described as aggressive and provocative towards the suspect, approached him, leading to a verbal and physical confrontation.
NYPD Chief of Transit Michael Kemper stated that the victim raised a knife or razor blade towards the suspect but later put it down and pulled out a firearm from his jacket. He then started walking menacingly towards the suspect while yelling at him. The altercation soon turned physical, and the suspect managed to wrestle the gun away from the victim and fired multiple shots at his head.
The incident unfolded as the train arrived at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station, where several NYPD officers were stationed. Upon hearing the gunshots, they swiftly intervened. The firearm was recovered at the scene.
The victim was immediately transported to New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he remains in critical condition. The suspect, a 32-year-old man, is currently being questioned by detectives, although no charges have been filed as of yet. The police have not released the identities of either individual involved.
Video footage captured by witnesses after the shooting shows subway passengers taking cover in the middle of the subway car, with one person heard calling for the doors to be closed and questioning the whereabouts of the NYPD.
The motive behind the altercation remains unclear, and the investigation is ongoing.