New York police say they have arrested the suspect in a shooting on a subway platform which left a 20-year-old man dead on Sunday.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea identified the gunman as 26-year-old Ramiro Gutierrez, a known member of the MS-13 gang, ABC News reported.
Officials believe that the killing was the result of a gang vs. gang dispute given that the deceased was a member of MS-13's bitter rivals Calle 18 (or the 18th Street Gang,) although it is unclear if the suspect and victim knew each other.
The shooting followed an altercation between the deceased, Abel Mosso, and at least three other individuals, which began on a 7-Line subway train bound for Manhattan, WABC reported. The situation escalated into a physical fight which continued onto a platform when the train stopped at 90th Street Station in Jackson Heights, Queens, just before 1 p.m. What happened next was captured on video by a bystander in a clip that was widely shared on social media.
"At some point, this confrontation turns physical, and as the train approached the 90th Street Station, the dispute spills onto the platform," Shea said. "There is what you see in the widely circulated viral video. A gun appears, and we have an individual shot. We believe approximately five or six shots are fired during this incident, striking the victim multiple times in the face."
In the viral video, bystanders can be heard screaming and running for their lives after the brazen shooting, with some seeking refuge in local businesses.
"We just heard gunshots and then people rushed downstairs, and then even one girl was crying, and I guess she saw it, rushing into my store and ran into the back," local business owner Simon Lee told ABC News.
When police arrived at the station, they found Mosso unresponsive on the platform and pronounced him dead at the scene. Soon after the video of the incident began gaining traction online, police were able to quickly find and arrest Gutierrez with the help of several members of the public, who provided tips via the Crimestoppers hotline and the NYPD's Tips account on Twitter.
"Gang incidents within transit are extremely rare," Shea said. "An incident like this in New York City is extremely rare. To have the shooter in custody in less than 24 hours, I think, is damn impressive."
Police say they have arrested one other suspect in connection with the shooting and are still looking for one more—a 30-35-year-old Hispanic man.
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