By Aaron Miller-
At least thirteen people have been hurt following a shooting and smoke bomb at a Brooklyn subway station.
The shooter has been described as a black man in an orange construction vest who is possibly wearing a gas mask, he is believed to have fled the scene. No motive for his actions has yet been identified.
At 8.30am, firefighters responded to a report of smoke coming from the D, N and R lines at the 36th Street station in Sunset Park in Brooklyn. Firefighters arrived to find multiple people shot and “several undetonated devices”.
Firefighters arrived to find multiple people shot and “several undetonated devices”.
U.S president Joe Biden has been briefed about the shooting.
A spokesman for New York City Mayor Eric Adams called on New Yorkers “to stay away from this area for their safety and so that first responders can help those in need and investigate”.
The shooting occurred as a train pulled into the 24th Street station. As its doors opened, someone threw a smoke bomb onto the train and started shooting.
The train continued to the 34th Street station, where the victims got off and called for help. Investigators believe this was a coordinated attack, but the motive remains unclear.
The D, N, and R trains are holding in stations in both directions in Brooklyn, and there are other subway delays as well.
At least 13 people are injured, according to a city source. Many, if not most, appear to have been shot. The victims were taken to local hospitals.
Brendan Mcdermid/ReutersAuthorities are searching for the suspect, and analysts are already suggesting the likelihood that the gunman is not a professional shooter.
The New York City Police Department said there are no active explosive devices at this time.
The shooter remained at large an hour and a half after he opened fire at the 36th Street and Fourth Avenue station in Sunset Park around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Two of the five shooting victims were said to have been seriously wounded.
The extent of the other victims’ injuries wasn’t clear, but cops said at least 13 were taken to hospitals. It’s not clear if all had been shot.
Police described the suspected shooter as a man about 5 feet 5 inches tall and 180 pounds. Cops believe he acted alone. A motive is under investigation, though the manhunt for the gunman is the top priority, but psychologists and analysts believe he is likely to be angry with society as a whole, or people in Newyork, or even something connected with the subway system.
Photos from the scene show bloodied passengers lying on the station floor is an eye sore, but shootings of this nature are nothing new in America given the large amount of guns in the U.S. Undetonated explosive devices were also found on the scene. Police have said there are no active explosive devices inside the station at this time.