A couple riding on the subway was seen on video being forcibly removed by police who claimed to be looking for a gun — but found nothing.
The late-night incident from February 23 was captured on cellphone by fellow rider Neely Grobani, who said she first saw the pair together as they waited for a downtown 2 train at the Times Square station. She said they looked "cutesy and cuddly," and the couple told NBC New York they were returning home from their date night.
Grobani got on the subway and sat across from the sleepy pair. The train pulled into Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn when officers came on board, Grobani said.
"A few cops entered the car and grabbed the young man I was sitting across from ... he said 'What did I do? What's going on?'" Grobani said, adding the man got no response from the officers while being led off the train.
The NYPD said police were responding to a report of a man with a gun, and that the man they escorted off the train matched the description. Grobani said the girlfriend tried to follow, but cops cornered her in and grabbed her — which is when she started screaming for them to let her go.
"I can’t imagine anyone sleeping on the subway late at night and is forcibly removed would have behaved any other way," Grobani said.
Grobani said about 15 officers were involved in taking the couple off the train.
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As the couple were ziptied on the subway platform, police searched the boyfriend, named Justin, as well as all over the train. The NYPD said the search came up empty.
Despite not finding anything, the couple was still hit with a disorderly conduct summons. Grobani said she has since gotten in contact with the woman who she filmed.
"I know that what she experienced was traumatizing for her and that to me is the story. It’s the impact this has on real people," Grobani told NBC New York.
Justin said his girlfriend has had nightmares about the incident nearly a week later, and that he still is looking for an apology from the NYPD.
