Keyondre Russell: Teen arrested for fatally shooting Jayjon Burnett, 15, during altercation on NYC subway
QUEENS, NEW YORK CITY: Jayjon Burnett, 15, has been shot dead after an altercation broke out between two groups of youths on an MTA subway train in New York City. The victim who hailed from Queens was allegedly killed around 3.45 local time on a southbound train around the Rockaway stop at Matt Avenue.
The alleged shooter Keyondre Russell, 18, has been taken into custody, as per the police, reports NBC New York. With the help of MTA surveillance camera footage and with assistance from witnesses, the arrest was made. Russell hails from Queens too and is being booked for murder and criminal weapons possession.
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New York Police Department (NYPD) spokesperson informed People that the victim was found in an "unconscious and unresponsive" state before succumbing to a bullet wound to the chest. Burnett was rushed to Cohen’s Long Island Jewish Medical Center before being pulled out of the train by a good Samaritan at the Mott Avenue station and aided by two patrolling transit officers. The EMS team arrived soon, but it was too late by then.
NYPD Train Bureau Chief Jason Wilcox in a press conference said, “The shooting happened during a verbal dispute between two groups of youth that ‘quickly escalated." He confirmed that this is the eighth homicide to have been recorded this year in the MTA subway system. In all the previous seven cases, the accused had been arrested. ABC 7 reported, a woman was arrested on October 9 after stabbing a man to death during a dispute on an MTA bus in the Bronx.
NYC Transit President Richard Davey said, "Our hearts and prayers go out to the young man who was murdered here today. Obviously, this is a senseless tragedy and one we'll get to the bottom of.” He added, "By all accounts, this was not random and we have seen illegal guns, illegal knives, weapons in our system. We need to get those out. This does not make our jobs any easier."
Wilcox said, "Any time an act of violence occurs in the subway, it is taken very, very seriously. The response from the NYPD is intense. The investigation by our detectives is robust and very thorough."
"We obviously have work to do, there's no doubt about it. I take the subway every day, I'll take it home tonight. So, hopefully that gives folks confidence that that's how I believe in it. But we've got to stop this," added Davey.