Cops are searching for the vigilante gunman who allegedly fired off shots while trying to stop a vagrant from robbing a woman at the Times Square station – as officials warned Wednesday that ongoing subway violence “will not be tolerated.”
The would-be mugger, identified as Matthew Roesch, 49, was charged with attempted robbery for trying to “forcibly” snatch the 40-year-old victim’s belongings at the 49th Street N, R and W station around 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, police said.
The unidentified bystander stepped in — and allegedly opened fire toward the homeless man, according to cops.
No one was struck.
“I’ve looked at the video and it is unusual. The shooter looks very calm, pulls out a gun, fires two shots and calmly puts the gun back in a bag and walks away,” Rich Davey, the chief of the MTA’s subway and city bus systems, said of the incident at a Wednesday news conference.
The vigilante gunman pictured here fired at attempted robbery suspect Matthew Roesch, 49, cops said. NYPD“That’s not what we need. Weapons shouldn’t be on the streets of New York but they are,” he continued.
“We don’t tolerate this in New York City transit, period,” Davey said. “This kind of misbehavior will not be tolerated.”
The NYPD on Wednesday released surveillance images showing the suspected gunman passing through a turnstile at the station while carrying a khaki backpack and a reusable bright green B&H Photo Video tote bag.
Roesch, who lives in a men’s shelter, was charged with attempted robbery, cops said. Paul MartinkaHe was last seen wearing a light green T-shirt, black shorts, white socks and black shoes with white sole.
Cops described him as being between 35 and 45 years old, with a light complexion, standing around 5-foot-9 and weighing about 230 pounds.
Roesch – whose address is listed as a men’s shelter in Kips Bay – was awaiting arraignment Wednesday.
The MTA president noted that Roesch was “known to police,” but did not provide further details about past encounters with cops.
“We have the purse snatcher-slash-swiper in custody,” Davey told reporters, adding that cops arrived “within minutes” when alerted.
“We have photographs of the guy with the weapon and no doubt he’ll be in custody soon,” he added.
NYPD Inspector Steven Hill, the commanding officer of the Transit Borough Manhattan, said Roesch had been arrested before for selling MetroCard swipes.
Trains were snarled as the NYPD responded to the shooting scene. Paul Martinka“This gentleman has some history of swiping in the system, he’s known to us, he’s been arrested before,” Hill said, adding, when asked by The Post, that Roesch’s prior busts were for “hand-collecting and selling … MetroCards.”
“He was arrested for selling swipes, that’s a felony, when you bend the cards,” Hill said. “That’s like criminal possession of burglar tools, you bend the MetroCards to get a free swipe. Or you’re holding the gate open, [that’s also] theft of service, misdemeanor charges.”
Shortly before the press conference, Hill gave Davey a walk-through of how the shooting played out, a demonstration that was captured on video.
The shooter was still being sought Wednesday. NYPDThe two men can be seen walking together in the subway station while Hill gestures to show how the shooter brandished his weapon.
“He pulls out the firearm, points it, the guy’s running, then he points the firearm in this direction… let’s two rounds go, and it hits the pillar up there,” Hill told the executive.
The investigation is ongoing, Hill said.
Train service on the N, R and W lines was temporarily snarled as the NYPD investigated in the aftermath of the shooting.
