NEW YORK — A man in his 30s was shot and killed on the northbound E train platform at the 53rd Street–Seventh Avenue station in Midtown Manhattan on Saturday afternoon, in the latest fatal NYC subway shooting as police searched for a gunman who fled the scene.
The shooting was reported shortly before 12:21 p.m. on Oct. 17 at the station near Times Square, which serves the B, D and E subway lines, according to the New York Police Department.
What happened in the NYC subway shooting
The NYC subway shooting unfolded during an argument between two men on the platform, police said. The suspect displayed a firearm and fired, striking the victim once in the chest.
Witnesses said the confrontation at the center of the NYC subway shooting began on the platform, spilled onto an E train that had pulled into the station with its doors open, and then moved back out onto the platform. Investigators have not determined whether the shots were fired on the train or on the platform.
Emergency responders performed CPR on the victim before taking him to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead. The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was believed to be in his 30s.
An E train had pulled into the station and opened its doors shortly before the shooting.
One witness said he heard two gunshots about eight seconds apart as commuters ran for safety. Video obtained by the New York Post showed first responders performing chest compressions on the victim on the crowded platform.
Suspect at large
The NYPD released surveillance photos of a person wanted in connection with the killing. The suspect was last seen wearing a red tracksuit, a black vest and a black face mask, and carrying a backpack. He fled on foot, heading north on Seventh Avenue.
The department posted a “Wanted for a Homicide” notice for the NYC subway shooting on its official @NYPDnews account on X.
No weapon has been recovered, and police warned the suspect remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous.
Investigators believe the shooting was targeted. “Nothing random between these two individuals,” an NYPD spokesperson told the New York Post.
No motive has been established in the NYC subway shooting, and police have not said what led to the dispute or whether the victim knew the suspect.
“Another gentleman was just talking to him, like, ‘Hey, man, wake up, wake up, stay up, stay up, stay up,'” said Mauricio Marroquin, who was traveling home to Queens after a morning shift and described seeing the victim lying on the platform as bystanders tried to help.
Anyone with information is urged to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online or via X at @NYPDTips.
Transit violence and the NYC subway shooting debate
The NYC subway shooting is the seventh murder in the New York City transit system so far this year. Transit murders are up 75 percent compared with the same period last year, which saw four, according to NYPD data.
“Guns have no place in transit,” MTA Chief Security Officer Michael Kemper said in a statement, adding that the agency has been coordinating with the NYPD and that those responsible “should face maximum consequences from the justice system.”
Commuters who spoke with the New York Post expressed doubt about subway safety. “I don’t feel safe in the city, and I absolutely don’t feel safe on the train at all,” said Leslie, 50, a housekeeper from the Bronx.
“Are they going to have to, like, put in metal detectors in the subway now?” said Priscilla Rodriguez, 35, a data analyst from Rhode Island who was visiting Midtown.
Investigation continues
As the investigation into the NYC subway shooting continued Saturday afternoon, police had announced no arrests. The killing occurred in the Midtown North Precinct and Transit District 1, an area that includes some of the city’s busiest stations and tourist corridors.
Anyone with information about the NYC subway shooting is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. Spanish-language tips can be submitted at 1-888-57-PISTA.