Several people injured during rush hour subway shooting, smoke grenade attack in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (TCD) -- Several people were injured when a gunman reportedly opened fire on a subway during a rush hour commute Tuesday morning.

New York Police Department Commissioner Keechant Sewell said in a press conference officials were called out to the 36th Street subway station in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood just before 8:24 a.m.

Sewell said the suspect, who she described as a 5-foot-5 Black male with a heavy build, "donned what appeared to be a gas mask" as the Manhattan-bound N train pulled into the station. The man allegedly retrieved a canister from his bag, and the train started to fill with smoke, which is when the man reportedly opened fire.

The suspect was reportedly wearing a green construction vest and a hooded sweatshirt with a gray collar.

Sewell said the shooting began in the train car, but several people on the platform were also struck. A spokesperson from the New York Fire Department said 16 patients were treated, including 10 people who suffered gunshot wounds. Five of those victims are in critical but stable condition.

The New York Police Department tweeted at 8:53 a.m. local time that 36th Street and 4th Avenue was closed off for an investigation. An hour later, the department wrote, "In regard to the multiple people shot at the 36th Street subway station in Brooklyn, there are NO active explosive devices at this time."

Sewell, however, said there are "no known explosive devices on our trains" and that they are not investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.

Video shared with NBC New York shows smoke emanating from the train and passengers running away. The video also shows some of those injured and being treated on the ground.

The New York City Subway system tweeted there will be "major delays" due to the investigation at the station.

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