Person shot on Brooklyn subway: NYPD

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) - A man was shot during a struggle on a subway train in Brooklyn Thursday afternoon, police said.

The shooting happened on a northbound A train near the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Streets subway station around 4:45 p.m., according to the NYPD. A 32-year-old man shot a 36-year-old man during a fight, police said. The 36-year-old man was hospitalized in critical condition, authorities said.

NYPD Chief of Transit Michael Kemper said the incident started after the 32-year-old man got on the A train at the Nostrand Avenue station. He was then approached by the 36-year-old man on the train, according to police. Kemper said he does not believe the two men knew each other.

“This 36-year-old male was described by multiple witnesses as being aggressive and provocative toward the 32-year-old who just got on,” Kemper said.

The 36-year-old man and the 32-year-old man exchanged words and then became physical with each other, police said.

"The 36-year-old at one point displayed either a knife or a razor blade toward the 32-year-old," Kemper said. "The 36-year-old put that sharp object down. Words were still exchanged. It became physical again."

At some point, the 36-year-old man pulled out a firearm from his jacket and started walking toward the 32-year-old man "in a menacing way" and yelling at him, according to Kemper.

"It became physical again between the two," Kemper said. "During this physical confrontation, that gun we believe was removed from the 36-year-old by the 32-year-old and the 32-year-old fired multiple shots striking the 36-year-old.”

The train pulled into the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Streets subway station as the shooting was happening, police said.

“There were multiple police officers in the station, just feet away from when this train pulled in, that actually heard the shots and were on scene within seconds,” Kemper said.

The 32-year-old man was quickly taken into custody, authorities said. Officers found a gun at the scene, according to the NYPD.

There may have been more than two-dozen people on the train when the shooting occurred, according to Kemper. No other injuries were reported.

A and C trains were running with delays in both directions following the NYPD investigation at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Streets station, according to the MTA.

Subway safety has been a key focus of Gov. Kathy Hochul and city authorities after a string of high-profile crimes, including back-to-back shootings on Bronx subways.