A second teenage suspect has been arrested and charged in connection to last month's deadly Bronx subway station shooting that claimed the life of a 35-year-old man caught in the crossfire.
A 14-year-old was arrested Thursday, more than one month after bullets flew on Feb. 12 at the Mt. Eden Avenue station. The NYPD says he is facing four counts of attempted murder and weapons charges.
The alleged teen gunman was also one of the victim's wounded in the shootout last month. Detectives had arrested the 14-year-old in connection to a separate, non-fatal shooting that took place about one month prior, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny had said.
According to Kenny, three teens fired 19 shots on the crowded subway platform around 4:30 p.m.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.
Investigators have maintained that the Feb. 12 shooting was not random, and believe some of the victims include members of the two feuding groups, while others were bystanders. It appears to have been gang-related, police said, and detectives are closing in on a motive for the gunfire.
A 16-year-old suspect has also been arrested and charged with murder. The suspect, who has not been identified due to his age, also faces five counts of attempted murder and a weapon possession charge.
News
Bullets fly at Bronx subway station
Police say that the chaos started with a fight between the two groups of teenagers on a northbound No. 4 train approaching the Mount Eden station.
"We have two groups known to each other. They get on the train, one at 125th Street in Manhattan, we had the other get on at 161st Street in the Bronx near Yankee Stadium. Once the groups come together on the train, there's a verbal dispute that quickly turns into a physical fight," Kenny explained. "As the train is pulling into the station at Mt. Eden, one round is fired inside the train car. You can imagine the chaotic scene. You have a crowded train pulling onto a crowded platform."
Around 4:30 p.m., at least one person took out a gun and fired while still on the train, police said. When the doors opened, more shots were fired on the platform, which is where each of the victims was struck — with innocent victims caught in the mix.
All five who were injured in the shooting are expected to recover. The lone fatality was a 35-year-old man from Mexico.
Shockingly, amid the chaos, the victim received no aid from bystanders on the platform.
"It's heartbreaking to see the video of him laying on the platform dying as people just walking past him," said Kenny. "It's a testament to what these young kids are out here doing. Here's a man just going about his business trying to make his way in life and makes the mistake of being curious to see what's going on and takes one in the chest."
The shooting is believed to be linked to gang activity, particularly involving groups associated with D Block and Burnside.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
