MTA worker shoots man after being followed, threatened at Brooklyn station, police say
NEW YORK -- There are new details regarding an MTA worker who opened fire after being threatened by a man police describe as emotionally disturbed.
It happened Tuesday night at the Union Street subway station in Brooklyn.
"It's a little bizarre because the neighborhood is really safe so I was little shocked," said straphanger Tiffany Williams.
But the attack had nothing to do with the Park Slope neighborhood. The altercation actually started just a stop away at Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center. That's where police say two on-duty uniformed MTA employees, one serving as a mechanic for MetroCard machines and the other a transit revenue collector were verbally attacked by an emotionally disturbed man.
"While they were waiting for the train, a male approached them and got into a verbal dispute. The male became irate and began to threaten to beat them up," said NYPD Chief of Transit Michael Kapur.
Investigators say the two MTA employees then hopped onto a southbound R train to escape the man, but he continued to follow.
In an attempt to further avoid confrontation, the two MTA workers got off at the Union Street Subway stop. They say they were still followed by that suspect. That's when one of them pulled out a gun and shot him in the chest.
"EMS transported the 39-year-old male to Methodist Hospital where's he's currently listed in critical condition. The two MTA employees were not physically injured during this incident," Kapur said.
The suspect is well known to NYPD for his prior arrests.
The MTA says the armed transit collection worker is a 21-year veteran on the job. He's among more than 270 armed workers who assist other employees while the MetroCard vending machines are being worked on.
As commuters went about their day, they said incidents like these don't surprise them any longer.
"I mean, this is New York. This is Brooklyn. I've been here 30 plus years. I've seen all sorts of things come and go," Brooklyn resident Nicholas Papadakais said.
"Here, I'm fine. But the subway system itself is just a mess," said subway rider Tiffany Willams.
The suspect in this case was not armed.
The shooting is under investigation.
