“No terrorist investigation” for the moment. New York police say 10 people were shot and injured on Tuesday morning when gunfire rang out during rush hour on the New York City subway, and explosive devices were found at the scene, police and firefighters said . The total number of injured stands at 16 at the moment.
“It is not under investigation for an act of terrorism, at this stage. We can also say that although it was a violent act, we don’t have anyone with life-threatening injuries.”said the New York police chief at a press conference in Brooklyn, above the subway station where the shooting took place.
Amateur photos and videos showed pools of blood and people lying on the floor of a subway train, as well as on the platform of the “36th Street” station in the borough of Brooklyn, in a smoky atmosphere.
In regard to the multiple people shot at the 36th Street subway station in Brooklyn, there are NO active explosive devices at this time. Any witnesses are asked to call @NYPDTips did #800577TIPS. Please stay clear of the area. More provided information when available. pic.twitter.com/8UoiCAXemB
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) April 12, 2022
A fire department spokesperson said “undetonated explosive devices” had been found. According to a police tweet, “there are no operable explosive devices at the moment”. An important security device was deployed at 36th Street and 4th Avenue, in southern Brooklyn, where the facts occurred.
According to several media outlets, including NBCNewYork and the New York Times, police are looking for a man wearing a gas mask and an orange jumpsuit like those worn by construction workers in the megacity of nearly 9 million people, the largest city in the United States.
President Joe Biden, who announced new anti-gun measures on Monday, has been notified of the shooting and the White House has offered assistance to authorities in New York, executive spokeswoman Jen said. Psaki.
“At 8:27 a.m., the police received an emergency call from a person who was shot in the subway” in Brooklyn, said a spokeswoman for the New York police, who asked the public to avoid the area. According to a fire department spokesperson, there was “several shots” and smoke. New York State Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul said she was monitoring the situation and was being kept informed of the investigation into the event.
A rise in crime since the pandemic
The attack came as New York City has faced a spike in crime since the Covid-19 pandemic. Elected on security promises, the new Democratic mayor of New York, Eric Adams, launched a plan at the end of January to fight against the proliferation of firearms, after the death of two police officers shot dead during an intervention. But other gun dramas have made headlines since.
For the first quarter of 2022, the number of shootings and shootings in New York increased by 260 to 296 compared to the same period of 2021, according to NYPD figures released last week.
Update at 6:30 p.m.: 10 people injured by gunshot, no investigation for terrorist act for the moment