This week, following the recent mass subway shooting in Brooklyn, we asked residents if they feel safe riding the subway.

 

“At this point, I don’t feel safe. I don’t think anyone feels safe due to the system that we have. They had no cameras at the 25th Street station, still no cameras. They got him, of course. They got him, but that’s not the point. The point is you could have avoided this if you had the cameras because you’re supposed to have the cameras, no? With the rise in crime on the subways, you weren’t supposed to have cameras? Common sense tells you you’re supposed to have the cameras due to the fact that violence is increasing. Me and my wife won’t go [travel by subway]. My wife was traumatized because of what happened.”

Herbert Evens,

Parkchester

 

“No, I don’t feel safe, in general, sometimes. I’ve never really experienced anything too drastic, but I have seen things. I have noticed an area where there was one cop, and now there’s two with him. I noticed that today. I feel like sometimes when the cops are there, they just stand around talking and walking around in the train station.”

Rebecca Rodriguez,

Kingsbridge Heights

 

“I do take the subway. I don’t feel as safe as I used to. It’s definitely gotten a lot more hot, or just a lot of folks, I think, who might have some mental health issues who aren’t getting the support and services they need, and they go on the train. I don’t know if they’re homeless. Sometimes it’s hard to tell… Three times I’ve been followed by men who I could tell just weren’t okay, even right here at the D station at the Norwood stop. Even before that incident, I’ve seen more cops, but I saw them harassing homeless people and that’s not something I agree with. I don’t think that’s helping with the crime.”

Ileia Burgos,

Norwood

“No, I don’t [feel safe] and that’s the reason why I bought some safety gadgets. Yes, because you see things on social media, and you have to be a little precautious. When I’m on the train, I don’t have both of my headphones on and I’m alert as to how people are moving, so I’m way more aware of my surroundings. I worry about my family. Sometimes they take the train early, so I share those tips with them so they’re alert and not distracted on their phones. I have seen more police on the D train. I think they should check that every camera is working at every station. It makes you wonder where our tax dollars are going.”

Karen Almonte,

Norwood

 

“No. It’s just not safe anymore. You have to be watching your back every minute; you don’t know who’s ready to attack. That’s another big thing. There’s no police on the train and it’s really scary. I stopped taking the trains. I used to love going to the City on the train, now I’d rather take the Metro North or the bus. If there was a shooting, I’d run and pray, or if I had no choice, I will find a way to get off the train. This has me thinking now to be prepared.”

Nancy Marie Rose,

Allerton

 

Recently there have been questions regarding the operability of some cameras located inside the train station in Brooklyn, where Tuesday's shooting occurred. We want to share the following information. pic.twitter.com/IGnl2pE3Se

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) April 14, 2022

 

Editor’s Note: The NY Post reported that according to MTA spokesperson, Tim Minton, cameras at both Brooklyn’s 36th Street subway station, where the mass shooting occurred, and the 25th Street station, where James may have fled, were on and recording but weren’t transmitting footage back to MTA headquarters and to the NYPD. Norwood News contacted the MTA to ask about the camera situation at the 25th Street, 36th Street and 59th Street stations. We were later advised that the email address used to contact the MTA was not monitored. We have since received a response from an MTA official and were informed that the cameras were operable, that there were issues with a node in a server room that provides connectivity between the cameras and the receiving points, and that when crew members were addressing the issue, they didn’t visit the cameras to make any adjustments. They turned their attention to the server rooms which are located elsewhere. The feed from the 36th Street subway station camera on the N line was restored Wednesday, April 13.