New York shooting: Not probing as “act of terrorism”, says Cops after releasing description of suspect

New York, Apr 12: The New Year cops are not investigating the Brooklyn subway shooting incident as an "act of terrorism", New York Police Department said on Tuesday.

Speaking to media, New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell urged the people of New York to share photos or videos of the incident with law enforcement, as the suspect is still at large.

A man wearing a gas mask took a canister out of his bag and opened it at 8:24 am (local time), as the Manhattan-bound N train waited to enter the 36th Street subway, she said. "The train at that time began to fill with smoke. He then opened fire, striking multiple people on the subway and in the platform," Sewell stated.

Giving a description of the suspect, she said that the suspect is a Black male with a heavy build, wearing a green construction-type vest with a hooded gray sweatshirt. "The accused filled the train with smoke and opened fire on the passengers. He was reportedly a Black male, 5'5" tall, with a heavy build. Wearing a green construction-type vest and a grey hooded sweatshirt," said Sewell.

The commissioner confirmed that the shooting happened inside the subway car. "The suspect was in the train car. The shooting began in the train car," Sewell said.

Sewell said there was no known motive at this time. "We do not know the motive at this time, but we're not ruling anything out," she said.

"Tranquility and normalness was disrupted, brutally disrupted, by an individual so cold-hearted and depraved of heart that they had no caring about the individuals that they assaulted as they simply went about their daily lives. This individual is still on the loose. This person is dangerous," New York Governor Kathy Hochul tweeted.

The governor urged New Yorkers to remain vigilant. "This is an active shooter situation right now in the city of New York," she said.

The incident happened on a subway line that runs through south Brooklyn in a neighborhood about a 15-minute train ride to Manhattan.