An A train shuttle rider was pistol whipped by a vicious gunman who robbed him and then shot him just for kicks in Rockaway Park on Sunday night.
The 36-year-old man had just transferred from a southbound A train to the shuttle traveling from Beach 105th Street to Beach 116th Street at around 9 p.m. on June 25 when a man in a black balaclava walked up to him and pulled out a handgun.
The assailant proceeded to strike the victim multiple times in his skull with the firearm demanding his property, police said. The victim complied, handing over his wallet, which contained $120 in cash, and his identification documents. With the armed mugging complete, the alleged gunman fired his gun at the victim striking him in the upper right leg. The gunman exited the train at the Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Station where he ran off in an unknown direction.
Police from the 100th Precinct in Rockaway Beach and Transit District 23 responded to the scene and EMS rushed the victim to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center where he was listed in stable condition. There were no other injuries reported as a result of the gunfire and no property damage was reported to the train car, police said.
The NYPD released a surveillance photo of the suspect on Thursday. In addition to the black balaclava, the suspect was last seen wearing a gray and black sweatshirt, black pants, black and white sneakers and blue latex gloves.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.