New York City officials have charged the man responsible for the fatal shooting of a Goldman Sachs employee who has turned himself in to police and is claiming he's innocent, citing a history of "mental illness."
Authorities have charged the gunman with murder for the unprovoked attack after his arrest on Tuesday afternoon. The suspect, identified as Andrew Abdullah, was led into the NYPD's 5th Precinct in Chinatown on Tuesday afternoon to face charges in connection with the Sunday morning attack on a New York City Q-train.
New York Subway Shooting
The suspect was flanked by several law enforcement officers, including agents with the U.S. Marshal Service, as he made his way into the precinct station house. Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said that the arrest marked the end of the manhunt for the suspect. He added that less than three hours after the release of the man's photograph to the public, he had nowhere left to run.
Sewell also said that the murder of the victim, identified as Daniel Enriquez, was every New Yorker's "worst nightmare." Officials are charging Abdullah with murder and criminal possession of a weapon, as per Fox News.
One of the passengers on the train, Dmitry Glivinskiy, is a vocal coach and was sitting at the back of the car with headphones on. He said that he heard what he thought was a firecracker going off only to look up and see a man standing in the middle of the car while holding a gun.
Bishop Lamor M. Whitehead, Abdullah's family pastor, said that the suspect's family has paperwork to show that the gunman has a history of mental illness. He also said that the shooter "maintains his innocence," arguing that he did not remember the events of the shooting.
According to the New York Times, the claim comes as in January, 40-year-old Michelle Go, was pushed in front of a train and killed in an attack that she never saw coming. The suspect at the time was found mentally ill and homeless and was deemed unfit to stand trial.
Claims of Innocence
After the Sunday shooting, Gov. Kathy Hochul posted on Twitter that her office was working with the transit authority and had offered help to the police during the investigation. The official expressed her sympathies to the family of the victim and said she was working on making subways safe for everyone.
The Legal Aid Society, which released a blistering statement shortly after Abdullah's arrest, said that before the suspect could voluntarily surrender, he was ambushed by law enforcement. He was denied his opportunity to first consult with counsel.
The statement added they have been actively speaking with the NYPD and the New York County District Attorney's Office to negotiate the suspect's surrender. They said that the events that transpired were completely inappropriate and unwarranted given the conversations that they had.
The group said that they have been assigned to represent Abdullah on the case and said that he was presumed innocent and entitled to counsel and a robust defense. They cautioned New Yorkers from rushing to judgment as investigations were still underway and evidence was being reviewed, NBC New York reported.
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