What to Know
- New York City police say a group of people shot a fruit vendor and an MTA train conductor in the face with a BB gun just five days apart in what appeared to be random attacks.
- Both victims suffered lacerations to their faces but are expected to recover, police said.
- Anyone with information about either incident is urged to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
New York City police say a group of people shot a fruit vendor and an MTA train conductor in the face with a BB gun just five days apart in what appeared to be random attacks.
The group of four walked up to their first victim who was operating a fruit stand on White Plains Road in the Williamsbridge section of the Bronx and one of them shot the 73-year-old man while another recorded the Nov. 3 incident on a cellphone, surveillance footage released by the NYPD on Thursday showed.
Five days later, police suspect that the same group shot an MTA train conductor, 37-year-old Trevor Thomas, in the face while he was halted on the platform of the East 219th Street subway station, which is just steps away from the first incident.
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“It’s terrifying. I really have no words. I’m still processing it right now. I’m just happy to be alive," Thomas said.
Thomas ended up soaked in his own blood as the BB became lodged in his nose. He needed to have it surgically removed.
While the pain was excruciating, it’s the sound that Thomas remembers most. After being shot he says the kids laughed as they ran.
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“They could have done real damage. I could have got blinded, could have gone deaf, it could have been a whole lot worse," he said.
Both victims suffered lacerations to their faces but are expected to recover, police said.
“This is a heinous attack on a transit worker which underscores the need for greater protections and stronger laws to keep our members safe,” union Vice President Eric Loegel said, adding: "What happened is no laughing matter it’s disgusting that they were laughing and thought this was a joke.”
Thomas has a message for the group: what they are doing is "not a game."
"They really think it’s funny and the fact of the matter is it’s not funny. It’s not a game. It could kill people. I don’t care what their intent is, you can’t be doing that at all to anybody," he said.
Anyone with information about either incident is urged to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
