A preliminary investigation shows a possible smoke device was detonated at the station, enforcement official says
A preliminary investigation shows a possible smoke device was detonated, according to a senior law enforcement official. The NYPD said afterward that there are no active explosive devices.
The attack occurred at about 8:30 a.m. when the Fire Department of New York was called to the 36th Street subway station in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood for a report of smoke.
A male suspect possibly wearing a gas mask and orange construction vest fled the scene, police said, citing a preliminary report.
First responders encountered gunshot victims throughout the subway station and others who had been injured in the ensuing chaos, though it’s not clear how the others were injured. Authorities haven’t released detailed information on how the shooting unfolded yet.
Witness says smoke engulfed train
Yav Montano told CNN he was on the N express northbound subway train heading to work when a smoke grenade or smoke bomb went off and he heard what sounded like fireworks. The train was between stations at the time, so panicked passengers tried to move to another train car to get further away from the smoke, he said.
“The whole car was engulfed in smoke,” he said. “I couldn’t even use my mask anymore because it was black with smoke. It was ridiculous.”
About 40 to 50 people were on the train at the time, he said. He was not sure how many were injured but said he saw a lot of blood on the floor of the train.
When the train arrived to the 36th Street station, the passengers fled off the train onto the platform in a rush.
Police told the public to avoid the area of 36th Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn, where a large presence of emergency responders gathered.
Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood is located in the southwest part of the borough and has a significant number of residents who are Asian and Hispanic. Each group makes about a third of its more than 135,000 residents, according to US Census data.
The southern part of the neighborhood has emerged as Brooklyn’s Chinatown due to its growing population of immigrants from the Fujian province in China.
Mayor Adams, who has Covid-19, has been briefed on the situation, his spokesperson Fabien Levy said.
“While we gather more information, we ask New Yorkers to stay away from this area for their safety and so that first responders can help those in need and investigate,” Levy said on Twitter.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the subways, says they are also investigating the incident and that D, N and R trains are holding in both directions in Brooklyn.
This is a developing story. It will be updated.
CNN’s Peter Nickeas, Jason Hanna and Yon Pomrenze contributed to this report.
