A 26-year-old man who police said is affiliated with MS-13 was charged with murder after a man was fatally shot on a Queens subway platform, police said.
The victim, Abel Mosso, 20, was shot in the head while on the southbound platform of the 90th Street-Elmhurst Avenue station of the No. 7 line just before 12:45 p.m. on Sunday. The incident started as a fight between Mosso, who was affiliated with the 18th Street gang, and at least two other men on the train, Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said Monday.
The fight spilled onto the platform when the train pulled into the 90th Street station and the suspected shooter, Ramiro Gutierrez, fired at least three shots, striking Mosso several times, police said. Five to eight shots were fired, but police did not recover a gun or shell casings on the platform, Shea said.
Gutierrez was charged with murder, gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon. The NYPD released images of two other men who were being sought for questioning.
"When you have an incident like this, you’re going to get the full might and fury of the NYPD," Shea said, speaking Monday at police headquarters, adding that the department has seen several MS-13-related incidents in Queens. "There are some gangs that have historical beefs. We have seen some violence with regards to this gang, but nothing like this in the middle of the day.
"It is certainly troubling — whether you are in 1980, 1990, or 2019, this type of incident is troubling," Shea said. "This incident is an aberration . . . Gang incidents within transit [are] extremely rare."
Max Young, MTA chief external affairs officer, said in a statement the agency was cooperating with the NYPD’s investigation.
"This incident is beyond horrifying," he said, adding: "While our system and the city are safer than ever before, we have zero tolerance for any violence on our subways and buses, and the safety of our customers and employees will always be our No. 1 priority."
