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NEW YORK: Ten people were shot on Tuesday morning inside a subway train in Brooklyn, New York, after a suspect put on a gas mask, set off a smoke canister then began shooting at commuters, city officials said.
Sixteen people were injured in the incident, 10 by gunfire, New York Fire Department Acting Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said in a briefing, attributing the other injuries to smoke inhalation, shrapnel or panic.
Five of the gunshot victims were in critical but stable condition, but there were no life-threatening injuries, officials said.
The attacker fired a handgun, and fled the scene. Police officials called on the public to contact them with any photos, videos or other information that could shed more light on the incident or lead them to the suspect. Kenneth Foote-Smith told the local NBC TV station that he was in the train car ahead of the one where the attack happened just before 8:30am (12:30GMT) He said it began as the N train pulled out of the 59th street station.
Foote-Smith said he saw white smoke billow in the adjoining train car and heard loud bangs.
“We crowded to the end of the car,” he said. “It was just a really scary moment for everyone.” He said the train stopped in the tunnel, then travelled into the 36th street station in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighbourhood where the conductor told passengers to get onto an adjoining R train. He and others, including some who were injured took that train to 25th street, where emergency personnel tended to the wounded, he said.
After initial reports that undetonated devices had been found at the scene, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) tweeted there were no active explosive devices at the station.
