The man suspected of shooting an aggressive subway rider with his own gun will not face charges after Brooklyn prosecutors ruled he acted in self-defense.
Younece Obuad, 32, was arrested Thursday night after a terrifying encounter with Dajuan Robinson, 36, when the two men broke out in a wild brawl in a rush-hour subway that ultimately led to Robinson being shot in the head.
“Yesterday’s shooting inside a crowded subway car was shocking and deeply disturbing,” the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office said Friday.
“The investigation into this tragic incident is ongoing, but at this stage, evidence of self-defense precludes us from filing any criminal charges against the shooter.”
Robinson was shot after Obuad wrestled his gun from him during the fight. The NYPD told DailyMail.com on Friday morning that Robinson was in critical condition and it is unclear if he will survive.
Younece Obuad, 32, (pictured during his arrest), suspected of shooting an aggressive subway rider, will not face charges after Brooklyn prosecutors ruled he acted in self-defense
Harrowing video revealed moments leading up to the shooting in which Robinson accuses Obuad of being a ‘cop-beating migrant’ before they erupt in a wild brawl
Robinson was quickly identified as the aggressor in the encounter when he appeared to target Obuad and a female companion on the busy subway while shouting about migrants.
As concerned commuters began filming the encounter, Robinson shouted: ‘F*** your kind. F*** your race. F you.’
‘You think you want to beat up cops? I’ll beat you, he said, apparently referencing the January incident in which a group of migrants attacked NYPD officers in Times Square.
Police were quick to note the shooting victim’s role in the incident, saying at a press conference that ‘when you bring a gun on the train and start a fight, that’s not right. It’s outrageous… that’s what happened here.’
The shooting broke out Thursday night on the A line at Brooklyn’s Hoyt-Schermerhorn Station, where the fight broke out as the train entered the platform.
The gun could only be seen briefly as Robinson pulled off his jacket, while the exposure of the gun sent commuters scrambling for the exits.
Shots rang out as people poured onto the platforms, with separate footage showing another car with people cowering in fear and trying to stay low after fears a gunman was on the loose.
Passengers can be heard on the footage desperately shouting, ‘Get me out, get me out’ and ‘Where’s the NYPD?’ before the car doors were opened.
On Friday, police shared a photo of the gun used in Thursday night’s shocking shooting
In separate footage from after the shooting, a train car full of people was seen cowering in fear and begging the subway to pull away from the crime
A video from captured the chaos after shots rang out as terrified passengers ducked for cover and shouted: ‘Where’s the NYPD? Oh God!’
As footage of the fight continued, the alleged gunman’s 32-year-old female companion appeared to whip a knife from her pocket and stab Robinson in the back several times.
“I didn’t do anything,” she replied, blood visibly seeping through the man’s shirt.
The NYPD told DailyMail.com on Friday that they were actively searching for the woman, who has not been identified. Her status is unclear after Obuad was not charged.
Other passengers begged the couple to stop when one person said, ‘come on, there are babies here.’
Obuad was later seen being dragged away by police and Robinson was taken to hospital in critical condition.
At a news conference on Friday, NYPD officials said the shooting victim had skipped his train fare as they claimed there is a link between fare skippers and those who bring knives and weapons onto the subway.
“Too often we see people entering the subway system wanting to cause damage that skips their fares,” NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said.
He said no charges have been filed and it would be up to the district attorney to bring any, stressing that the investigation is still active.
Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry added that ahead of Saturday’s St Patrick’s Day Parade, they have not identified any “credible threats” to the event.
“We encourage people to take the trains tomorrow,” he added.
Footage posted on social media shows first responders rushing Robinson on a gurney into an ambulance
The 32-year-old shooter was arrested before he entered the platform and remained in custody. He is seen lying on the steps outside the subway car
A huge police presence descended on the Brooklyn subway station after reports of gunfire, and Obuad was quickly arrested at the scene.
He appeared tired as he lay on steps next to the subway car with police before being led out of the station in handcuffs.