10 Shot in Brooklyn Subway Rush-Hour Attack; Manhunt Ongoing for Gunman in Gas Mask

At least 10 Brooklyn subway riders were shot Tuesday by a man wearing a gas mask and a green construction vest who tossed a smoke canister in the train car to distract the rush hour crowd before opening fire, officials and law enforcement sources said.

One source close to the investigation says his gun may have jammed, potentially preventing further loss of life. A weapon was recovered at the scene, as was a bag with smoke canisters and fireworks, lending further credence to the theory of a premeditated attack on New York City transit riders, sources and officials say.

The shooter remained on the loose more than five hours after opening fire aboard the Manhattan-bound N train at the 36th Street and Fourth Avenue station in Sunset Park around 8:30 a.m.

Five of the gunshot victims were said to be critically injured. Details on the nature of their wounds weren't immediately clear. No fatalities have been reported. It's not clear what kind of gun was used, nor was it immediately known how many shots were fired.

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Witnesses said the entire train car smelled of gasoline, and MTA sources described a similar smell too but the law enforcement officials said no gas cans were found.

The smoke canister, and harrowing video from the train, prompted early concerns about possible explosive devices connected to the case, but NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell assured New Yorkers in an early afternoon news conference that there are no known explosive devices on any subway trains in the city at this time.

Multiple people have been shot in a Brooklyn subway station and several undetonated devices have been found at the location, according to fire officials and law enforcement sources

Some of the 10 wounded were in the same train car as the suspect. Others were on the platform, authorities said. The train was still moving when Sewell says he donned a gas mask, threw a smoke canister on the subway car floor and started shooting.

The train stopped at the next station, at 25th Street. Greenish smoke was seen spewing from the subway doors when the Manhattan-bound N train stopped at the platform. People were seen running, and bleeding. In total, 16 were hurt. The half-dozen victims not injured by gunfire were hurt in the crowd response to the chaos.

One straphanger who limped off the train fell and had to be helped away by fellow riders. Other photos showed people bleeding on the platform. Some of the wounded jumped on another train to flee to the next station, law enforcement sources said.

Witnesses said the entire train smelled of gas.

The New York City Unified Victim Identification System (UVIS) has been activated in response to the NYPD activity located near 36th Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn.

If you are concerned about the welfare of someone who may have been affected by the event and are unable to contact them, please call 311. From outside of NYC, you may call 212-639-9675.

Multiple people shot during a subway shooting in Brooklyn on Tuesday morning. Cell phone video shows commuters run off the platform while smoke is seen. Video credit: Will B. Wylde

Police were combing through subway tunnels, based on some witness reports he may have jumped to the tracks, but the gunman remained on the loose hours later.

MAP: Here's Where the Subway Shooting Happened

One law enforcement source said the victims ranged in age from teenagers to middle-aged people. NYU Langone said it had received eight victims, five of them with either gunshot or shrapnel wounds and three with smoke inhalation.

All were expected to survive, the hospital said.

Police described the suspected shooter as a man about 5 feet 5 inches tall and 170 pounds. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt in addition to the green vest.

Cops believe he acted alone. A number of sources say a dispute may have unfolded on the train just before the gunfire broke out. A motive is under investigation, though right now the all-out manhunt for the gunman is investigators' top priority.

Pictures: Multiple People Hurt in Brooklyn Subway Shooting

Experts say at this early stage that the shooting appears to have been an orchestrated attack, though they caution that much could change rapidly as details develop.

At this point, the shooting is not being investigated as an act of terrorism, officials say.

The 36th Street station where the shooting happened has about 9,000 people pass through that stop on an average weekday as of February 2022, according to the MTA. It was 13,000 before the pandemic, which plunged subway ridership citywide.

The NYPD warned New Yorkers to avoid the area and to expect emergency vehicles and delays. Power was shut off on the N/R Line from 59 Street to Atlantic Avenue and major delays were reported on the B, D, F, N, Q and R lines. W service is suspended.

No trains were stuck in between stations, officials said.

At least five people have been shot in a Brooklyn subway station by a man in a gas mask and orange construction vest who may have tossed a smoke canister on the platform to distract the rush hour crowd, according to NYPD officials and senior law enforcement officials. They stress the investigation is preliminary.

Local schools were placed under a shelter in place order, a Department of Education spokesperson said. It's not clear how many were affected. No other information was immediately available.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been briefed on the situation, a spokesperson said -- and pleaded with New Yorkers to avoid the area to assist in the investigation.

My statement on this morning's shooting in Brooklyn: pic.twitter.com/TbLfCZa7WW — Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) April 12, 2022

The NYPD is leading the investigation. Federal investigators with ATF and HSI are also on the scene.

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation as well. White House senior staff are in touch with Adams and Sewell to offer federal assistance as needed, a spokesperson said.

Law enforcement officials from Philadelphia to Jersey City and Newark were stepping up security at transit hubs as a precaution.

If you have any information about the incident at the 36th St station in Brooklyn, please contact us immediately. 911 for emergencies and critical info, Crime Stoppers hotline for non-emergency info that can assist in the investigation: 800-577-TIPS (8477) @NYPDTips pic.twitter.com/WLctohRJKI — NYPD Transit (@NYPDTransit) April 12, 2022