The 39-year-old straphanger who was shot by an MTA worker in Brooklyn on Tuesday night was allegedly angry that the transit employee blew him off when he tried to fist-bump, sources said.
The incident happened about 9 p.m. at the Brooklyn R train station when Renaldo Gurrier tried to make the hand gesture to one of a pair of MTA workers, but the employee refused over COVID concerns, police sources said.
Gurrier allegedly followed the men onto an R train, threatening to “beat them up,” NYPD Chief of Transit Michael Kemper said at a press briefing about the incident at the scene Tuesday.
Kemper said the workers got off at the Union Street station to try to defuse the situation, but Gurrier allegedly followed them off the train and into the mezzanine level.
He allegedly came at the armed MTA worker despite several warnings, with the employee then shooting Gurrier in the chest, police said.
A straphanger was shot and wounded by an MTA employee during a dispute at a Brooklyn subway station Tuesday night, NYPD officials said. Paul MartinkaThe wounded man was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he is listed in critical condition.
Gurrier works on and off at a Brooklyn tire shop, his boss told The Post on Wednesday.
“Everything’s a problem with that guy,” Danny Argentina said. He also claimed that this isn’t the first time Gurrier’s been wounded.
Police sources said a straphanger shot by an MTA worker in Brooklyn was ticked off because the transit employee refused to fist-bump him Tuesday night. Paul Martinka“[He] got stabbed 20 times, beat up dozens of times, he got shot once” in past disputes. It wasn’t clear if he was the victim or the perpetrator in the incidents.
Police have not announced any arrests in Tuesday night’s incident.
MTA New York City Transit president Richard Davey said both transit employees have been given desk assignments pending the outcome of an investigation.
Davey said the employee who had the gun, a transit revenue collector who was not identified, is one of about 274 transit workers who are armed.
Police said a straphanger shot by an MTA employee in Brooklyn Tuesday is in critical condition. Paul Martinka“The reason is because they are teamed with an employee who is responsible for inspecting, maintaining and servicing the Metrocard vending machines, which of course included cash in those,” the transit chief said.
“As I understand it, historically, even back in the 1980s, this was a favorite of some criminals, to come after folks,” Davey said. “So, this has been a longstanding practice to have an armed person with that fare vending machine equipment operator.”
Additional reporting by David Meyer
