Brooklyn subway shooting prompts major US transit safety response

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Several people were shot in a subway attack in Brooklyn on Tuesday morning, prompting New York City and other major cities to ramp up transit security.

According to a New York Police Department (NYPD) official, the attack happened around 8:30 a.m. in Brooklyn. The train continued to the next stop, where shots were fired.

The New York Fire Department said 16 people were injured, and the NYPD reported no life-threatening injuries.

Major US cities are beefing up security in transit systems following an attack on a subway in Brooklyn on Tuesday morning. In this photo, members of the New York Police Department patrol the streets after injuring at least 13 people during a crowded shooting at a subway station in the New York borough of Brooklyn on April 12, 2022, where officers Said “many unexploded devices” were recovered amid the chaotic scenes.
Timothy A. Cleary / AFP via Getty Images

Several transit systems across the country have commented on the attack, saying they are increasing security and patrolling at subway stations in major cities, including Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC and Boston.

On Tuesday, shortly after the attack, Philadelphia Police tweeted“Police will be monitoring subways and transportation hubs in our city. Although there is no clear connection to Philadelphia at this time, people should remain alert and report suspicious activity to 911 immediately.”

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) issued a statement saying, “To reassure our riders, the Transit Police Department has increased the number of uniformed officers on the system and 9 teams of additional explosives detection to perform a protective sweep.” There are also actions the police will employ that will not be visible to the riding public.”

The MBTA also stated that “at this time, there is no evidence, credible or otherwise, to suggest that the MBTA system is a likely target.”

Metro Transit Police in Washington DC Tells Commuters to “Stay Alert” TwitterWriting that they “continue to vigilantly monitor the security of our systems; there are currently no known credible threats.”

“As a precaution, additional K-9 sweeps and patrols are being implemented in the system,” Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority spokesman Ian Genetta told WTOP.

On the other side of the country, the cities of California are also doubling the security as a precaution.

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) tweeted“The LAPD is closely monitoring reports of more than one victim shooting at a subway train station in Brooklyn this morning. We are in contact with our local, state and federal partners and, as always, high visibility throughout the city. provide patrols, including bus and rail stations.”

And Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), which operates in San Francisco, said it is in “direct contact with federal officials” about the situation.

BART Police Chief Ed Alvarez told KRON4: “BART Police will continue to conduct high visibility patrols through trains and stations and will use our system of over 4,000 cameras to monitor the system.”

The NYPD said the suspect, a massive 5’5″ man, is still on the run. He was wearing a green construction vest and a brown hooded sweatshirt. Police say the suspect saw a gas mask and opened a gas canister inside the metro car. As soon as it entered the station, it set it on fire again, hitting people in the car and on the platform.

The NYPD is not ruling out any specific motive for the attack as they search for the suspect.

newsweek Contacted MBTA for comment.

For live updates on the Brooklyn Metro shooting, visit our live blog.

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