Brooklyn subway shooting: Man shot in head during rush hour

BROOKLYN - A man was shot in the head Thursday during rush hour inside a Brooklyn subway station, the NYPD said.

The shooting happened just before 5 p.m. inside the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station in Boerum Hill.

According to police, a 32-year-old man was riding a northbound A train when he was approached by a 36-year-old man who was already on the train.

Multiple witnesses described the 36-year-old man as being aggressive and provocative toward the 32-year-old man. The pair exchanged words, and the encounter turned physical.

Police said the 36-year-old man, at some point during the fight, displayed a knife or a razor blade to the 32-year-old, before putting it down and exchanging more words with the 32-year-old before having another physical exchange. 

The 36-year-old then allegedly removed a firearm from his jacket and walked toward the 32-year-old, yelling at him and the confrontation became physical again. During the final physical confrontation, police said they believe the 32-year-old managed to wrest control of the gun from the 36-year-old, and the 32-year-old fired multiple shots, striking the 36-year-old. 

A firearm was recovered at the scene of the subway shooting in Brooklyn.

As the shooting happened, the train pulled into the subway station, where several officers were already located.

The 36-year-old was taken to a hospital, where he is listed in critical but stable condition. The 32-year-old was in custody. So far, no charges have yet been filed. 

The shooting is the latest in a string of high-profile incidents on the New York City subway system in 2024 that has left officials searching for a solution. 

Last week, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that she was deploying around 750 members of the National Guard, as well as 250 state troopers to help keep the city's subway system safe.

According to NYPD statistics, crime in the nation's largest transit system is up 13.2% overall this year.