BOSTON — Boston-area public transit riders have been paying extra close attention to their surroundings following Tuesday morning’s attack in a Brooklyn subway station.
More than two dozen people were injured after a lone gunman threw smoke bombs into a subway car and then began shooting at the height of morning rush hour.
The Massachusetts Transit Police Department was quick to reassure passengers that it had no reason to believe that the MBTA was a potential target for an attack.
Despite that reassurance, the Transit Police Department said it would be increasing the number of uniformed officers on the system and adding extra explosive detection K9 teams to conduct protective sweeps.
“It already feels uneasy, and now with this happening, I feel even more uneasy,” said MBTA passenger Munah Nagbe. “I feel like there needs to be more security on the actual cars because things happen.”
Passengers at a number of stations throughout Boston noticed a beefed-up police presence through Tuesday night.
“It’s scary for sure. It can happen anywhere at any time,” said MBTA passenger Laura Flaherty.
People leaving Boston to head to New York on Amtrak trains were also uneasy with the shooter at large.
Authorities identified 62-year-old Frank James as a person of interest in the investigation.
“I just hope he gets caught and some things are put in place so this doesn’t happen again,” said Louis Jordan, who was heading home to New York.
Jordan lives in Astoria, Queens, and used to reside in Brooklyn.
He was on his way home to New York on Tuesday night after visiting family in the Boston area.
“Even though I’m not living in Brooklyn anymore, I know that place,” he said. “It’s terrible. It’s awful, and I feel bad for all the victims.”
New York City agencies are offering a joint $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect involved in Tuesday’s shooting.
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