Transit cops caught a fare evader bringing a loaded gun into a bustling Manhattan subway station on Thursday afternoon, police said.
The disturbing incident unfolded just after 3 p.m. at the 7th Avenue and 34th Street subway station. Law enforcement sources reported that cops from the Transit Response Team spotted 27-year-old Hugh Hyde of Brooklyn allegedly jumping the turnstile to the southbound 1 train.
After police apprehended Hyde for theft of service, they discovered a loaded Jimenez Arms pistol in his backpack. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and theft of service.
While it is unclear what his plans were with the deadly weapon, police sources say this is not the first time he has been caught with a gun. He was arrested twice in Brooklyn back in 2017, once in February and again in October of that year for carrying a loaded firearm.
Police have said enforcement of fare evasion has been essential in stopping transit crime and combating violence throughout the system.
